Grey Power NZ Federation Housing Policy
Last reviewed 9/09/2014
Policy Mission
To maintain and improve housing options for older persons.
Problems the policy addresses
- The views, needs and concerns of older New Zealanders are not currently influencing local council housing policies.
- There is little provision of small, high quality, low maintenance housing units suitable for elderly residents living outside retirement villages.
- The current standard and provision, nor the planned level of Government and Local Body housing meets the projected demand or the requirements of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Newly introduced policy which places the allocation of housing inMSD’s hands is likely to cause concern to some older tenants
- Possible inappropriate relocation of tenants under the tenancy review policies.
Policy solutions
- Introduce older person’s fora within each Territorial Local Authority (TLA) with sufficient officer support to enable meaningful contribution to housing policy development. [TLAs & other local bodies] (Addresses problem 1).
- Achieve the adoption by TLAs of policies consistent with the United Nation’s Age Friendly Cities Strategy. [TLAs & other local bodies] (Addresses problem 1 & 2).
- Establish a coalition of like-minded organisations concerned with improving the quality of housing (Note see also energy policy solution – ‘creation of a household warrant of fitness with an emphasis on energy efficiency and associated goals.’) (addresses problem 2 & 3).
- Acceptance of high quality smaller housing units as a major market opportunity. [MBA, LGNZ, TLAs, MBIE, Developers, Retirement Village operators] (Addresses problem 2).
- Require all proceeds from the sale of social housing units to be applied to the provision of high quality replacement units in areas of greatest need. [Govt. MSD, HCNZ, TLAs] (Addresses problem 2 & 3).
- Require the social needs of tenants to be the primary determinant of all tenant relocation as a result of redevelopment of social housing. [MSD, HCNZ, TLAs] (Addresses problem 4).
- Actively monitor the welfare of tenants in MSD allocated housing units (Addresses problem 4 & 5).
Policy goals
Grey Power will:
- Establish data on how councils engage with the older community and their representatives on housing issues.
- Determine the most effective model for engagement.
- Target most receptive councils to adopt the identified model.
(these three goals address solution 1)
- Provide associations with information to assist them to advocate for the above policy solutions (this goal addresses solutions 2 – 7).
- Identify and establish working relationships with appropriate organisations working towards better solutions for social housing issues.
- Draft pro forma Memorandum of Understanding for use when agreeing to work with other organisations in the field.
- Establish a repository of easily accessible and summarised research on social housing issues.
(these 3 goals address solution 3)
- Identify nationwide building groups and prefabricators interested in developing designs.
- Promote the development of high quality small housing units as a market opportunity to housing associations and developers.
(these 2 goals address solution 4)
- Engage with TLAs for provision of both ‘village’ and mixed purpose development that promote the development of small high quality housing units in district plans
- Monitor TLA’s to establish intentions and alongside the Association affected make submissions to the appropriate authority
- Monitor the welfare of tenants in MSD allocated housing units and other social housing.
- Maintain a watching brief and encourage Associations to also keep a watching brief on all social housing issues.
(these 4 goals address solution 6 & 7)