Great to read that the Palmerston North City Council intends to increase its pensioner housing by the construction of another 30 units,starting next year,lets hope it happens as they will be needed.So good on the Palmerston North City Council for leading the way forward in setting standards for house building.
Down the road in Levin it is a very different story,the Horowhenua District Council have sold their pensioner housing to The Sisters of Compassion and an investment firm,Willis Bond.The good sisters and an investment is a strange mix,investment firms are profit driven not community driven.
It will be interesting to follow the outcome of this sale,lets trust that the tenants will still be able to stay in their homes and that the rents remain stable and affordable.
It is plain to see that the local councillors understand and retain almost nothing on the impact their decision to sell has on the elderly and low income tenants.The infighting at the council table has to stop, all it has created is a culture of not paying attention to their most vunerable residents,who require councillors with conviction not ego's.
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June 26th 2017
It is the AGM of the Manawatu Tenants Union on Friday 30th of this month at 12.00, Community House King Street Palmerston North,everyone is welcome to attend.
The housing crisis has been the big story this year and will be the the big issue in the September election,so make sure you vote.
Politicians ,for the most part have failed to address the big issue of housing,the lack of state houses,affordable rents in the private sector which controls the rental housing market in this country. Homelessness is now a fact of life and should not happen in a country like New Zealand we just have to build more state housing as future generations will not forgive us,their start in live will be much worse than the start we had.If nothing else think of your children and grandchildren who deserve better than what is being offered at present,homelessness.
There is a real sense of social injustice in the wider community that central government policies have failed to meet peoples housing needs. The fact that at present motels are being used and in some areas bought to house tenants tells us,that there is something really wrong with the present housing policies. It should be noted that very many politicians are private landlords and are out of touch with the daily grind of their tenants,some are really out of touch with the lives of average New Zealanders.
Don't forget the AGM this Friday at 12.00 come along and be informed about the real housing story.
May 22nd 2017
Now that there are more people renting than ever before,due to families being locked out of the first home ownership market.The culture of renting is now embedded into New Zealand society due to the failures of the present government.
The cost of renting is now consuming a larger slice of tenants incomes,here in Palmerston North an average house will set you back $3,500 just to secure a house/flat housing costs are a serious problem for an increasing number of tenants,as demand outstrips supply.
One answer to this issue would be to abolish letting fees being charged by property management agencies [one weeks rent +GST ] that tenants have to pay to secure a property.Landlords should pay this fee not the tenant,as is the case in other developed countries including the UK.
Rents are already out of control with landlords increasing their property wealth at the expense of struggling tenants,the new underclass in New Zealand.
Another issue which has been on the back burner for sometime and is seen as a no-go area for central governments is the case of unclaimed bond money.The MTU has over the years,stated that some of the unclaimed bond money could assist tenants organisations to a degree,some money should be spent on education informing tenants on their rights and obligations through TV and social media outlets.Print media is a waste of time and money,TV adverts,short and sharp are a much more effective way to connect with tenants.
Housing poverty is no longer concerned with unanswered need ,it is measured against unattainable wealth.At present the housing poor have become more isolated than ever,we pass this isolation down on their children.
Interesting to read that some landlords are pushing the idea of charging a late payment fee for their tenants who fall behind behind paying their rent on time. At present landlords can issue a 14 day notice [most landlords issue these notices ] to catch up,they have the option of going to the tenancy tribunal if their tenants fall 21 days behind seeking their eviction.Mortgage repayments are not the concern of tenants landlords should budget for such contingencies,they are running a business not a community service.
April 24th 2017. Solution's to the housing crisis.
In Ireland the government has put in place a scheme where the state pay's for refurbishment of private rental accommodation if it is allocated to social housing.The government has provided 500,000 euro's [1 million dollars ] to ensure neglected private sector properties are brought on stream for social housing,under a series of initatives.
Local council's have slashed their own vacant stock rates from 3% to under 1% under the scheme.In New Zealand council housing is less than 2% of all rental housing because under the Bolger National government they were encouraged to sell council housing and many council's did just that.Another policy being used is for the government to make available $100 million to local council's to purchase derelict properties and convert them to social housing,these idea's could could work here in New Zealand in reducing our homeless problem.All it takes is the political will.
Chickens come home to roost. April 24th 2017
The government is paying the price for its failed housing policies.The down sizing of Housing New Zealand along with the demolition and sell off state housing,has lead to the housing crisis that is the new normal in New Zealand,homelessness.
The present government's belief in market force's has seen homelessness on a scale not seen since the 1930's.But the government still refuses to acknowledge that there is a problem.This despite the fact that they have had to pump million's of taxpayer's dollar's into emergency housing measure's,which include the buying of motels and moving families around the country in search of accommodation.
This is the legacy of the John Key government,it should be noted that the present Prime Minister Bill English along with Paula Bennett were the minister's responsible in pushing forward the policies that have lead to the housing crisis.
A significant state house building programme is needed now,to address the problems being faced by families seeking a place to call home.Homelessness has become the big issue which has to be addressed by an incoming government,it is time for leadership on this issue.Housing is the most basic of human rights,it is the cornerstone of family life and an issue that we can not take for granted any longer. Make sure you vote in the general election coming up and let your voice be heard,it's that serious an issue.
April 12th. 2017
Have you noticed that the Manawatu Standard has ceased to publish its letters to the editor column and this virus has spread to the community papers.
If publishers and editors exert them selves to keep certain topics out of print,it is not because they are frightened of prosecution,but because they are frightened of public opinion.This would seem to be true of rental housing matters,tenants just like housing are used to being ignored by the local media. Why is this? The media just like central government they are no longer the people we go to for inquiry or investigation into the housing crisis.
There is a housing crisis in New Zealand,and as we enter winter,we can see why the government has moved into the property market by its intention to purchase motels for the growing number of homeless,which is a wise and good move.
This is another testament to the failure of governments housing policies,There has to be new thinking on how we are able to house struggling tenants.Try something new like start a state house building programme.
April 10th 2017.
The need for a national strategy and reasserting the role of the state as the final guarantor of social cohesion has arrived.Large sections of the population are left to live on the poverty line and growing number's are facing homelessness,many without any prospect of finding a productive place in our society.
There is a wide- spread loss of faith in the power of government to help change things around.Finding affordable rental housing is not easy,tenants are never secure,subject to the whims of landlords and rising rents, as well as the lack of security of tenure.
Government housing policies has boosted demand but not supply and has lead to the homelessness that has taken root in today's New Zealand.There are not enough state houses,private rental's are to expensive for many tenants who live on fixed incomes.Present housing policies have failed to deliver affordable for the growing number of tenant's.
The time has arrived for a review of these failed policies,so that tenants have a glimpse of a better life for their children and grandchildren.New Zealander's need a central government that guarantees everyone has a state in the country and a place to call home.Make sure you use your vote to help secure a better future for everyone.
