Chch ‘badly affected by housing crisis’

Press, 13 October 1983, Page 9

Chch ‘badly affected by housing crisis’

Parliamentary reporter

Christchurch was one of the centres worst affected by an emerging housing crisis, said Labour’s housing spokesman, Mr P. B. Goff, yesterday. He cited Housing Corporation figures showing that since last year the number of Christchurch applicants with urgent housing needs had almost doubled. The number of State house applicants with a “significant need” classification rose from 108 to 202. Nationally, the number of applicants in that category rose 59 per cent this year. Mr Goff said that “significant need” was a euphemism for urgent need.

“To qualify, the applicant family will normally be living in unsatisfactory or overcrowded accommodation, often causing health problems,” he said. The family would usually be paying a high proportion of its income in rent.

Manukau City had the worst problem, but other centres badly affected were Christchurch, Whangarei, Gisborne, and Nelson. “The problem is not isolated, but is evident throughout the country,” Mr Goff said.

“The figures quite clearly demonstrate an emerging housing crisis, which has been pointed out to the Minister of Housing, Mr

Friedlander, by groups right across the community.” The Housing Corporation figures probably underestimated the problem because of its policy of tightening criteria for eligibility. Mr Goff said the Housing Corporation programme announced in this year’s Budget would be inadequate to meet the urgent demand.

More resources needed to be allocated to prevent the growth of social costs caused by the housing crisis. “Without urgent action, the social costs of the housing crisis in terms of health, educational problems, stress, and family breakdowns will grow enormously,” he said.