Govt continues state house sell-off
Selling more properties to community housing providers won't fix anything, Labour's Phil Twyford says
The government’s sale of a further 1600 state houses will do nothing to fix the housing crisis or improve tenants’ lives, Labour’s housing spokesman Phil Twyford says.
National has announced it is selling the properties in Tauranga and Invercargill as part of its programme to get out of state housing.
They will be sold to registered community housing providers, according to a media statement signed by ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett.
Mr English cites efficiencies as a reason for the sell-off. But he does not identify any of the housing providers who are lining up to buy the properties.
In January, Prime Minister John Key announced the government would “transfer” up to 2000 state houses to community providers this year.
The recent transfer of 2800 state houses to a Tamaki housing provider included a government $200 million loan to help with working capital.
The next step is to consult with iwi and hapū in the two regions to identify any interests under the Treaty of Waitangi, “before deciding whether to proceed to market sounding."
Mr Twyford says selling state houses won’t make them more liveable.
“The government has no evidence to support their claim that social housing providers can do a better job of managing state houses than Housing NZ," Mr Twyford says.
Chris Hutching
Wed, 06 May 2015
Wed, 06 May 2015
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Govt continues state house sell-off
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