AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL
MEDIA RELEASE
23 August, 2007

Council has its say on affordable housing

Auckland City Council today addressed the parliamentary Commerce Select Committee on affordable housing when the committee met in Auckland to hear oral submissions.

The council has made a number of recommendations to the committee in a 17-page submission, including that:
• the scope of the inquiry be extended to include all forms of housing tenure and household types
• the metropolitan urban limit policy be maintained
• an Auckland regional approach to affordable housing is developed
• the Resource Management Act be amended or a new act established that allows local authorities to choose to apply inclusionary zoning for social or affordable housing where appropriate
• in support of inclusionary zoning, the government more fully supports the development of third sector and not-for-profit housing organisations
• incentives favouring property investment over other types of investment be removed

The submission, presented by Councillor Cathy Casey, chairperson of the council’s Community Development and Equity Committee, said Auckland was particularly affected by housing affordability issues with the highest property prices in New Zealand. A 2006 Demographia report identified that of 159 cities surveyed, Auckland was the 21st least affordable in the world.

Councillor Casey also outlined the council’s own assisted home ownership demonstration project that will see $9 million being available for funding the New Zealand Housing Foundation, a community housing trust, and other partners.
She stressed the importance of significant ongoing government investment in developing third sector housing providers. These providers play an important role in ensuring inclusionary zoning for affordable housing is successful, as this type of housing often requires ongoing tenancy management and maintenance support.

Go to www.aucklandcity.govt.nz to view the council’s submission.

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