sep 19, 1997 - HNZ denies end of rent freeze to blame for increased homelessness
Description:
Housing New Zealand said today it had little evidence to support claims that the end of a state rent freeze two months ago had led to increased homelessness in Auckland.
Auckland's emergency services say they have noted an increased demand on their services and have put part of the blame on the lifting of the freeze on July 1.
But Housing NZ spokesman Brett Sangster said it had little data to back the claims.
Mr Sangster also called on Labour housing spokesman Graham Kelly to refer to Housing NZ alleged cases of families doubling or even trebling up on accommodation.
"If there are cases of overcrowding or other hardship, we would urge Mr Kelly to bring those people to our attention," he said.
Mr Kelly said yesterday state housing in Auckland was too expensive for needy families.
He released figures showing that more than two-thirds of Auckland's 25,300 state houses cost more than $200 a week to rent at August 16.
This was up from 46 percent at November 1996, and 25 percent at November 1995.
Mr Kelly said the figures showed state houses were no longer geared towards providing affordable housing to New Zealanders.
He added that many rural Maori now living in Northland had left Auckland when they could no longer afford the rent, while some of those remaining were now living in terrible conditions.
The state rent freeze began last December, and affected almost 15,500 people.
Mr Sangster said that, while rents were allowed to rise to market levels in July, tenants who received accommodation allowances and other benefits also saw those go up.
The Auckland City Mission has estimated that homelessness has almost trebled in the city since April. Last month it registered 575 visitors at its centre, compared with 201 in April.
City missioner Reverend Richard Buttle said many people took to the streets because either their housing was too expensive, or their family placed unwanted demands on them.
"Auckland society as a whole, and possibly the whole country, has got to recognise that serious poverty remains," he said.
The Methodist Central City Mission provided shelter to a record 39 people one winter's night this year, and had to put people on mattresses on the floor, supervisor Peter Roberts said.
The night shelter usually had 15 people staying, and could accommodate 30.
SourceL: `LITTLE EVIDENCE' END OF STATE RENT FREEZE CAUSING HOMELESSNESS.
416 words
8 September 1997
New Zealand Press Association
Added to timeline:
A chronology of Māori housing in Tāmaki Makaurau - Key events
This timeline charts the changing institutional framework an...
Date:
