Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Sallies Urge Aucklanders & Auckland Council to Support Unitary Plan

Auckland must support the recommendations of the Hearings Panel on the Auckland City Unitary Plan if the poor housing conditions of low-income Aucklanders are going to be eliminated, says Lieut-Colonel Ian Hutson, Director of The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit.

“Inadequate affordable quality housing is the biggest social and economic threat Auckland faces,” says Hutson. “This plan gives Auckland a chance of eliminating this threat by ensuring the possibility of an adequate supply of quality affordable housing.”

To meet the affordable housing needs in the future for all citizens the panel has recommended an intensification of housing in numbers of Auckland suburbs. “The tendency on hearing news like this is for us all to become suddenly self-interested and say, ‘Yes, but not in my back yard,’” says Hutson.

“However, the creation of an Auckland that provides secure housing for all requires us to take an approach that considers the total city and all citizens regardless of income. This is a plan that in our view gives the chance of providing housing for those struggling in the current housing market, while also keeping in balance the character and environment of Auckland.”

The Salvation Army strongly supports the main recommendations of the Hearings Panel on the Unitary Plan, and asks Aucklanders to also make their views known to Council.

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