Housing report 'misinformed’

Press, 16 November 1981, Page 6

Housing report 'misinformed’

A document by a Christchurch pressure group criticising Government housing policies was a “series of poorly researched and misinformed, comments,” said the Minister of Housing (Mr Quigley) yesterday.

-He disputed statistics quoted in the report released yesterday by the Lower Incomes Working Party. The' group has about 12‘members, - mostly social workers, who have spent several months compiling the document from. Government reports and their own experience. The party convener, Ms M. K. Gray, said that home ownership was out of reach of most one-income families. Many people were forced to stay in the rising, rental market because available finanace left a big gap between Housing Corporation first mortgages and property costs.

Government investment in

housing loans has fallen $33.66 million in the last financial year and the State housing pool was diminishing.

• "Many low-income families are not receiving housing assistance ’and Government funds are benfiting those who are able to provide for them- , selves," she said. The group recommended - raising the wage limit for corporation \ loans tos3oo a week, loans for two-thirds of the cost of .building a new home, and dropping the new Post Office savings criteria for second mortgage finance. Mr Quigley said that Housing Corporation loans favoured one-income families and funds had been better used in the last three years, with more money lent to buy cheaper existing houses. The number of State houses had increased to more than 60,000 units and about 7200 " families were placed in State houses last year.