Housing policy shambles means state houses must NOT be sold – State Housing Action

The absolute shambles which is the government’s housing policy means Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett must abandon plans to sell off state houses to overseas multinationals and local businesses.

To sell state housing when there is a housing crisis for many thousands of low-income tenants and families would be heartless, reckless and irresponsible.

Local community groups have recognised this and the likes of the Salvation Army, Methodist Mission, Habitat for Humanity, Pact and Trust House Limited have left the government standing alone with foreign and local profiteers keen to make money from misery.

The fact that 60 per cent of Housing New Zealand’s tenants in Tauranga are Maori is NOT justification for iwi to provide cover for others to buy state housing.

Meanwhile SHAN applauds local Auckland marae which have opened their doors to families living in cars and vans.

They put the government’s pathetic blundering to shame.

SHAN is encouraging our supporters to assist these marae with practical help.

In the meantime the sale of state houses must NOT go ahead.

Just this week the government announced a 10 year plan to spend $20 billion updating Defence equipment. But it has no such plans for more critical policies to reduce child poverty or provide decent housing for tenants and families who need them.

SHAN is writing again to the government and the companies wanting to buy state houses demanding they abandon the policy.

Only the government has the capacity and resources to meet the desperate housing needs of the tens of thousands of families on low incomes paying through the nose to live in cold, damp, precarious housing arrangements – or in garages, cars and vans.

It’s a responsibility we will not allow the government to turn its back on.