*Spotlight on housing at today's Local Government NZ conference*
A novel event at this year's Local Government New Zealand conference is the showing of a new video production about the
need for more housing options and the benefits of local government support for community housing.
"The Future Focus theme of the Local Government NZ conference seemed to be a perfect time for us to promote the types of
housing issues that all councils face - whether they actually invest in community housing or not. And as part of its
presence at the conference Community Housing Aotearoa is screening a production about housing issues in West Auckland,
titled the 'Outrageous Bus Tour'," says David McCartney, Executive Officer of Community Housing Aotearoa.
"The video was produced earlier this year when Community Housing Aotearoa held its national conference in West Auckland,
at which Len Brown and Housing Minister Phil Heatley both endorsed the role of community housing organisations working
alongside local government to ensure conditions that allow housing options and choices provided by third sector housing
providers can be accelerated. It puts a spotlight on the great work being done by organisations in Auckland such as
VisionWest Housing Trust, Monte Cecilia Housing Trust and the New Zealand Housing Foundation".
"During this week's Local Government New Zealand event in Wellington we expect to have many conversations about ways
that local government can provide a leg up for charitable housing organisations - ways such as freeing up land and
facilitating a better environment for the future of not-for-profit housing initiatives".
ends