Wellington Chamber of Commerce
Media Statement
Thursday 23rd February 2017
Council housing plan practical solution, says Chamber
Wellington City Council’s plan for social and affordable housing looks to be a practical solution to a pressing issue,
says Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive John Milford.
“This looks to be a sensible way of recycling council assets to make better use of them.
“We are told there will be no impact on rates because the sale of affordable housing will fund the low-cost social
housing. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this, but if that’s the case then that’s a big plus.
“Is it ambitious enough over a 10-year period? Perhaps not, but it’s a good start to addressing the lack of social
housing and improving the quality of the city’s social housing stock. If it works then it could well be worth expanding
it to other areas of the city.
“It’s also good to see the council is prepared to work with private-sector partners to make it happen.”