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

1. The views, needs and concerns of older New Zealanders are not currently influencing local council housing policies.
2. There is little provision of small, high quality, low maintenance housing units suitable for elderly residents living outside retirement villages.
3. 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.
4. Newly introduced policy which places the allocation of housing inMSD’s hands is likely to cause concern to some older tenants
5. Possible inappropriate relocation of tenants under the tenancy review policies.

Policy solutions

1. 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).
2. 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).
3. 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).
4. Acceptance of high quality smaller housing units as a major market opportunity. [MBA, LGNZ, TLAs, MBIE, Developers, Retirement Village operators] (Addresses problem 2).
5. 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).
6. 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).
7. Actively monitor the welfare of tenants in MSD allocated housing units (Addresses problem 4 & 5).

Policy goals

Grey Power will:

1. Establish data on how councils engage with the older community and their representatives on housing issues.
2. Determine the most effective model for engagement.
3. Target most receptive councils to adopt the identified model.

(these three goals address solution 1)

4. Provide associations with information to assist them to advocate for the above policy solutions (this goal addresses solutions 2 – 7).

5. Identify and establish working relationships with appropriate organisations working towards better solutions for social housing issues.
6. Draft pro forma Memorandum of Understanding for use when agreeing to work with other organisations in the field.
7. Establish a repository of easily accessible and summarised research on social housing issues.

(these 3 goals address solution 3)

8. Identify nationwide building groups and prefabricators interested in developing designs.
9. Promote the development of high quality small housing units as a market opportunity to housing associations and developers.

(these 2 goals address solution 4)

10. 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
11. Monitor TLA’s to establish intentions and alongside the Association affected make submissions to the appropriate authority
12. Monitor the welfare of tenants in MSD allocated housing units and other social housing.
13. 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)