22 MAY 2015

Social Housing Not Our Problem Says National

The future of social housing will be a disaster with National’s social housing reforms of Budget 2015, says New Zealand First.

“The government’s solution for social housing has been to make it someone else’s problem,” says Spokesperson for Housing Denis O’Rourke.

“The new rules will sideline Housing New Zealand and allow the government to avoid any accountability. New Zealanders will be at the mercy of social housing contractors.

“Non-government providers will impose their own policies and practices, which no one yet knows about. There is no protection from rising rents and it will be harder to get a state home for people in need.

“Those on low incomes who rely on the state are being abandoned. That is not the Kiwi tradition and it is not acceptable.

“National is too focused on pushing down demand for state housing. They are ignoring the needs of people.

“This will exacerbate not improve social inequalities.

“It’s a careless and reckless approach that will put state housing out of reach for those who really need it,” says Mr O’Rourke.

ENDS

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