Allocation of State housing for review

Press, 5 October 1984, Page 5

Allocation of State housing for review

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington

The Government has promised a review of the rules and procedures used in allocating State rental units.

This review will be due in the hands of the Minister of Housing, Mr Goff, and of the director-general of the Housing Corporation by February 28, 1985. Its aim will be to develop State rental housing allocation procedures to ensure:

• The efficient and effective allocation of corporation rental housing. • That applicants with the greatest need for rental accommodation are accorded the highest priority-

The review team will examine the structure, working, and membership of

housing allocation committees, and consider whether the committee system is appropriate. Other methods by which the allocation of corporation rental housing could be done will also be considered. The review team will also examine the method of establishing priorities between applicants, and comment on the suitability of this system. Alternative priorities will be considered. Mr Goff said most of the existing procedures had been in place since 1973. For the most part they had served the corporation and applicants fairly over the years.

Increasing pressure from applicants on the Housing Corporation because of theeconomic downturn had made a review essential.

New Zealand faced a par-

ticularly difficult situation, he said, with limited financial resources for State housing and too few units to cope with the level of need for subsidised accommodation.

The review team will be led by the president of the Society of St Vincent de Paul and former Deputy Director-General of Health, Mr D. Ryan.

It will include a senior officer of the Housing Corporation, a member of the Housing Allocation Committee, and a representative of the New Zealand housing network — a broadly based alliance of organisations and individuals working in the housing field.

The review team will begin work this month and as well as calling for written submissions it will also visit the main centres.