24 May 2001

More houses, healthier houses

Housing Minister Mark Gosche and Associate Housing Minister Tariana Turia said today that an extra 300 state houses would be provided in 2001-02.

The ministers also outlined a nationwide refurbishment plan that will see living conditions in 9000 state houses targeted for improvement.

Mark Gosche and Tariana Turia said the announcements reinforced the high priority the government was giving to affordable and healthy housing.

"Today's budget provides for an extra $110 million worth of new capital and operating funding over the next four years to speed up efforts to modernise state housing. This effectively will double current spending on upgrading programmes.

"Upgrading will be done through projects such as Healthy Housing, a joint Housing New Zealand-South Auckland Health project to improve families' health by reducing overcrowding and improving housing conditions.

"The provision of 300 extra state houses in 2001-02 will be in addition to the 343 houses Housing New Zealand is already planning to add to stock numbers, bringing the total increase in properties to 643.

"A capital injection of $20 million will enable the government to acquire extra houses in high demand areas over the next year.

"In December the government scrapped market rents and reintroduced income-related rents, a decision which underlined our commitment to restoring a sense of balance. We are continuing to make sure that state housing is available, affordable and of good quality," Mark Gosche and Tariana Turia said.

ENDS

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