A series of interim initiatives for Wellington City Council’s city housing tenants – including a rent freeze and a subsidy to any tenant whose rent is over 35 percent of their income - has been agreed today by the Council’s Pūroro Rangaranga Social, Cultural and Economic Committee.

Committee Chair Jill Day says the measures aim to help the Council’s 3500 tenants who are “really doing it tough at the moment”.

The rent freeze will cost the Council an estimated $1.6 million in revenue, was agreed after a debate over the financial sustainability of the Council’s housing portfolio and affordability issues for tenants.

Councillor Day says the freeze recognises the financial plight of many tenants due to the Council’s market-related rental structure. “The rent freeze acknowledges that so many of our residents are struggling – especially now that inflation is also on a steep rise.”

The freeze will apply in the 2022-23 financial year. It will be funded from the City Housing cash reserves.

The Council also agreed to extend a subsidy to tenants paying more than 35 percent of their income in rent.

“These measures are interim humane step to make the lives of tenants and their families better,” said Councillor Fleur Fitzsimons.

The committee agreed to direct the Council’s City Housing staff to actively communicate with tenants to raise awareness of the Affordable Rent Limit Subsidy (ARL) with tenants in hardship, including supporting eligible tenants to apply for the subsidy, should tenants choose to do so.

“The Council will also extend the promotion of existing translation services into the top 10 languages spoken by City Housing tenants to raise awareness amongst tenants of the real-time translation service (Ezispeak) available, said Cr Fleur Fitzsimons.

The committee also agreed to seek rates funding to translate the tenants’ welcome pack into Arabic, Tamil, Farsi, Mandarin/Cantonese, Spanish, Samoan, Russian, Cambodian and Hindi. 

“This is about making people, particularly our former refugees feel welcome in Wellington and know what support is available to them,” said Cr Fitzsimons.

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