Headline: Overcrowding research calls for bold action on housing
New research from Otago University that links household overcrowding with infectious diseases underlines the need for the Government to get serious about New Zealand’s housing crisis and actually build affordable and social housing, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson on Housing Phil Twyford.
Leading public health researcher Prof Michael Baker has called for a large scale programme to construct thousands of additional social and affordable houses in order to reduce household crowding and prevent infectious diseases.
The research shows one in ten hospital admissions for infectious diseases like pneumonia, meningococcal disease and tuberculosis are caused by overcrowding. The figures rise to 1 in 5 for Maori and Pacific Island people.
“Too many kids are dying preventable deaths because of overcrowding and sub-standard housing. This is a direct result of the country’s housing crisis, which is caused by the failure of the housing market and the Government’s refusal to increase the stock of social housing.
“National’s response has been at best half-hearted. Cutting back the home insulation subsidy, blaming Councils and planning regulations for the shortage of affordable housing, and tutu-ing around with a pilot warrant of fitness scheme in state houses, just won’t cut the mustard.
“Adding modular bedrooms onto 1000 state houses is a good start but it is a tiny response compared to the scale of the problem. It won’t do a thing for the half of all children living in poverty who live in private rental housing. It is time to set some minimum standards to ensure that private rentals are insulated and efficiently heated. Labour’s Healthy Homes Guarantee will amend the Residential Tenancies Act to make it mandatory for landlords to insulate and heat their rental properties.
“Labour believes only the failure of the housing market requires bold action by Government. Labour will tackle the shortage of affordable housing by working with the private sector and Councils to build 10,000 affordable starter homes each year for a decade.
“Labour’s Capital Gains Tax will reduce house price and take some of the speculative steam out of the housing market.
“The research also shows big ethnic disparities with European/Pakeha exposure to household crowding estimated to cause 5 per cent of hospital admissions, 13% for Asians, 17% for Maori, and 25% for Pacific peoples.
“The appalling incidence of Third World Diseases associated with household overcrowding are caused by poverty and inequality, coupled with a failed housing market. This requires bold policies and a Government willing to intervene to make the market work for ordinary Kiwis.
“National’s half-hearted tinkering falls well short of what is needed,” Phil Twyford said.
—
