Housing Corp, sets standard

Press, 24 October 1989, Page 30

Housing Corp, sets standard

By

TOM METCALFE

The Housing Corporation will no longer fund poor-quality housing areas, says its directorgeneral, Mr Robert Carter. He said he had been concerned that the corporation was creating a legacy of poor-quality subdivisions that were not good value for money. That was irresponsible to the people to whom the corporation lent, as well as being poor business practice, he said. The new policy was aimed at avoiding highdensity, often cross-lease subdivisions with poor layout and feSv amenities. Mr Carter said the corporation had a responsibility to manage valuable assets on behalf of the Government.

It was poor business practice to risk those assets by investing in properties that cost more than they were worth, he said.

The corporation was promoting housing ideas that it hoped would create economic and environ-

mentally attractive lowcost subdivisions. The ideas had been produced in partnership with the Housing Initiative, a joint-venture lobby group between the corporation and Fletcher Residential. They included cluster housing, building to the boundary, smaller sections and houses oriented to sun and weather instead of nearby roads. The corporation’s lending manager in Christchurch, Mr Bryan Atkins, said last evening that there were no subdivisions in Christchurch on which the corporation was refusing to lend.