State housing ?frustration? in the Hutt Valley
By Jamie Melbourne-Hayward
Frustrated with the speed of housing upgrades, Hutt City Mayor David Ogden recently spoke with Minister of Housing Phil Heatley asking Council to have more influence in their clean up. Housing NZ has around 2000 state houses in Lower Hutt and is preparing for their redevelopment. ?In Lower Hutt I?m encouraging them to work faster. ?I?d like to have housing be part of a successful equation, but right now they don?t have enough of a holistic view,? he says. Mr Ogden wants to see more state houses mixed in with other properties, and says recent government initiatives are heading in the right direction. ?Over the last few years things have started to change, but Housing NZ needs to have more responsibility beyond just providing homes to the homeless.? ?It?s about the environment in which some people are living and growing up; it has a profound influence on children growing up. ?The high density model is flawed, that old model doesn?t get us anywhere. ?We need to break up the concentration ? intermingling is good for caring, growing gardens and ownership in the community.? Mr Ogden says the idea of selling state houses to tenants is good as it gives them a sense of ownership and security for where they live. ?The original philosophy behind state housing was that it shouldn?t be a permanent thing,? he says. Housing New Zealand Director Asset Services Daphne Velji says housing upgrades have received additional funding of $124.5 million from the Government to improve state homes around the country and build some new ones.? ??We have a good relationship with Hutt City Council and?will continue to work with them in the future. ?The type of intervention is determined by the needs of the household following a joint assessment undertaken by Housing New Zealand and the District Health Board,? she says. ? Housing New Zealand is expecting to provide energy efficiency to around 480 homes in the Hutt Valley?Region.?Energy efficiency retrofit may include, ceiling and under floor insulation, hot water cylinder wraps and pipe lagging, draught stops and improved ventilation. ??For the 2009-10 year we are planning to upgrade 430 to 460 homes in the Hutt Valley Region??? says Ms Velji.
