Manawatu Tenants Union
If You Are Not Outraged You Are Not Paying Attention
With the general election just a matter of weeks away,the new incoming government will have to widen its scope,to overcome the present housing crisis being felt by an increasing number of New Zealander's.The crisis has impoverished many people through being made homeless, the main cause is the lack of affordable housing to rent,and high rental costs.In New Zealand we have have witnessing the end of the state involvement in the provision of state housing and the reintroduction of housing poverty for increasing numbers of tenants.
So make you are enrolled to vote and that you use your vote its your most powerful weapon use it,to give the government the message that the housing situation at present is not acceptable. Your vote counts as tenants,now have the power to change things,remember that and pass it on to your friends and family.
THE UK ELECTION OUTCOMES CONCERNING HOUSING 2017.
Tory MP's [ National Party in NZ.] have been evicted from their seats for not taking housing seriously.Theresa May [PM] misjudged the public,her manifesto had more page numbers than spending figures,nothing on the housing crisis in the UK.
Young people rallied around the Labour Party in droves as they had addressed the housing crisis,while the media,had nothing but criticism and scorn for the Labour Party and its leader Jeremy Corbyn. Social media and Corbyn's rallies made people feel that they could be part of something bigger,a better future future for the generations to come a fairer society.
It is the young people who feel the effects of austerity more keenly than most,due to rising costs,exorbitant rents and many living in poor housing,problems that are an everyday fact of life for increasing numbers of New Zealanders.The sheer numbers of MP's who are landlords is astounding,which begs the question who do they represent at the end of the day.
In the coming weeks,we have a general election here in NZ.The number of renters in NZ is significant,more renters than home owners in fact.After years of being ignored,abused and taken for granted,they now have the power to change the government.Housing in NZ is in crisis, government policies have failed completely to deliver affordable housing for those seeking accommodation,homelessness is now a fact of life.
Housing New Zealand has been downsized and continues to be sold off to the private sector, this has been a disaster for low income families who are now living in motels and emergency accommodation.Along with the media who go out of their way to stigmatize state housing and their tenants just add's to the crisis.It should be noted that the [PM ] Bill English and his deputy Paula Bennett were the ministers in charge of Housing New Zealand and social housing for some years and must bear some responsibly for the chaos that is facing housing in NZ today.
So make sure you use your power and vote in the up coming election if you want to see change in the housing system for you and your children and grandchildren,it is that important.
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.
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