MEDIA RELEASE: 26-5-14

Health Service shocked at Housing NZ demolition plans

The Hutt Union and Community Health Service is shocked that in the same week that a Parliamentary Select Committee report said that Housing NZ’s consultation with the communities of Pomare, Glen Innes and Maraenui, Housing NZ was “inadequate” it has announced the demolition of state housing in Petone.

Health Service Manager Sally Nicholl said that Housing NZ had announced their intention to demolish six apartment buildings in Jackson Street Petone and had no plans at this stage to replace them. They have given 90 days notices to 26 tenants to leave the buildings.

“Despite assurances to the select committee that they had learnt from their mistakes they still made the decision to bulldoze without any community consultation.” said Sally. “Housing NZ is using the same approach as they did in Pomare and other areas where they neglect poorer areas and then justify removing state housing by blaming the community”.

The community owned health service which has provided low cost services to patients in the poorer parts of the Hutt Valley for the last 20 years sees the loss of affordable housing as a critical factor in child poverty and rising health inequalities.

“We won’t see any significant improvement in health while low income families are forced into overcrowding and unaffordable housing” said Sally.

ENDS

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