Auckland deal disadvantages Christchurch Council tenants

4 March 2003

The news that 1700 Aucklanders will be paying up to $25 less in weekly rent due to a government buyout of Auckland City Council housing has incensed Councillor Carole Anderton, Chair of the Christchurch City Council Housing Sub-Committee.
 
“ This is not on when our Council is being forced to consider increasing rents to enable us to run an affordable-but-sustainable housing portfolio,” she says.
 
Christchurch City Council Housing is self-funding. To be sustainable its rents must cover the cost of running, maintaining, upgrading and replacing the city’s stock of social housing over time.
 
“ This Council is running its equivalent housing at no cost to the ratepayers or taxpayers,” Cr Anderton says.
 
“ We have asked Government through Local Government New Zealand for financial support which would enable us to lower rents in a similar manner to the Auckland scenario, but this has fallen on deaf ears.
 
“ It is just not fair that our people are being disadvantaged while Aucklanders are let off the hook yet again,” says Cr Anderton.
 
Cr Anderton’s comments are in response to a press release by Acting Housing Minister Steve Maharey, advising lower rents for tenants of housing formerly owned by the Auckland City Council and purchased by the Government for $82 million.

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