FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 3 2014
Glen Innes Community Marches Against Social Housing Reforms, Imminent Tenancy Reviews

Today the Glen Innes community is marching against the Social Housing reforms which include a shift of the administration of Housing New Zealand tenancies to Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ). . Social housing is a shift from state-run housing to Community Housing Providers (CHPs) which are private landlords from various groups.

We are also drawing attention to the Reviewable Tenancies policy that comes into effect April 14. The reviews will affect working families who will be deemed not to be in the “greatest need”. Twenty-seven of the initial reviews include the severely disabled.

The argument of Housing New Zealand is that there is a high demand for housing, and they must provide for those with the most needs, the ‘deserving’ poor. This situates many families as ‘undeserving’ which most shockingly includes elderly, severely sick and disabled persons that will be placed under review. The problem is not in demand, it is in supply. HNZ is reducing their stock, not building more houses for those in need.

These policies are a move by the government to further remove the human rights of state housing tenants and privatise state housing, a public asset that brings in approximately $1 billion a year by rent.

The Tāmaki Housing Group are a collective of tenants and supporters who oppose attacks of HNZ tenants and the privatisation of Housing New Zealand stock.

We will be marching at 5:30pm today from 16 Taniwha Street to the Glen Innes shops.

ENDS

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