Followup from Tu Tangata maraenui

Tu Tangata Maraenui representatives were very pleased to be able to meet with new HNZ CEO Glen Sowry yesterday for about half an hour. Spokesperson Minnie Ratima said that Glen was with senior HNZ staff members so "we're confident that what he said will be followed through."

"He listened to our concerns about what effect of having so many empty houses was having on community safety, and also the difficulties people are having dealing with the run-around many experience when applying for housing using the 0800 number.

"He told us that HNZ would be re-opening the Maraenui office - not as the "drop in centre" that it used to be, but in some form, which was very positive. He is also going to make sure all the HNZ houses are assessed to see if they are earthquake prone within the next few months. He wants to re-tenant some of the empty houses which will help make the community safer.

We said we are keen to see some empty houses used for other community purposes, and perhaps plant community gardens on some of the empty sites.

"Of course, there is no change in HNZ policy, so there are still a lot of low-income people who are not eligible for a state house under the new criteria, so the overcrowding that happens when people have to go into expensive private rentals won't get any better. We have a housing crisis here, and until the government changes the eligibility criteria, low income families will continue to be denied state houses and have to live with whanau in overcrowded, unhealthy conditions.

"But the meeting opened up communication again with HNZ, and gave us an opportunity to put our concerns in front of them, and we feel we were listened to. We hope we can continue to talk with them.

"A van load of Tu Tangata Maraenui members are going back down to Wellington on the 10th April to appear before the Social Services committee with representatives from Glen Innes and Pomare and speak to the petition we presented to them at our hikoi to parliament in November.

"We want to tell the politicians, again, of the hardship our people are suffering because of the government's social housing policy. We have a housing crisis in New Zealand, and until they change their social housing policy, and take up their responsibilty to support vulnerable families who are being pushed into unaffordable private rentals and forced to live in crowded unhealthy conditions, it can only get worse."

ENDS

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