Rent increase for council housing
January 22, 2008

Rent at North Shore City Council’s 458 Housing for Older People properties will be going up in April this year.

North Shore City’s community Liaison manager, Lisa Tocker, says the move is necessary to ensure housing can be maintained to an acceptable level.

“This is the first increase there has been for three years, but it is absolutely necessary because of increasing maintenance costs,” she says.

“Our Housing for Older people service is so important because it provides safe, affordable housing for those on lower incomes who have lived here for a long time.”

The increases will take effect in April at the 22 rental complexes across the city. Depending on the type of unit, most people will be paying between $10 and $15 more a week.

But Mrs Tocker says that is still within what the Auckland Regional Housing Strategy defines as affordable.

“It says paying 30 per cent of gross income towards accommodation costs is affordable. Even with the increase, our rent is on average closer to 25 per cent of superannuation,” she says.

For example, the current and new cost per week of rent by unit type is as follows:

Bedsit $50.80 $62.28 (18.5 per cent of gross superannuation)
Older double units $95.25 $111.44 (21.8 per cent of gross joint superannuation)

“All tenants are being notified by letter this week, and anyone with concerns should contact us directly in the first instance,” says Mrs Tocker.

“We’ve also included details in the letter about a Work and Income accommodation supplement that may be available to some people.”

ENDS

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