SUCCESSFUL HOUSING

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1923, Page 10

SUCCESSFUL HOUSING

•"i .-v-; j.v/'•"•——.* WHAT WAIPUKURAU HAS DONE. „.'.■

Particulars of an interesting and successful local housing scheme are contained in a booklet issued by the Waipukurau Borough Council. The rapid growth of the town .in irecerit years brought about an acute house shortage, and to cope with the problem the borough council under its powers decided to initiate a housing scheme. Under this scheme the council has erected twenty houses of pleading design, as shown in the booklet. The amount advanced for the construction varied from £500 to £800, and some cost more than the amount' advanced.. The council borrowed £15,000 from the' State Advances Department to erect the twenty houses the value of which, with 1 the land, is reckoned at fully £20,000, so that the margin of security is deemed ample. The conditions under which applicants may obtain loans, for buiiding are enumerated as follow :—

(1) Applicants, must own a freehold section within the borough. This is transferred to the council at the council's expense.,

(2) Applicants submit their own planß and specifications of the proposed house, which a committee of the council, with the building inspector, must approve. (3) The council calls for tenders, obtaining separate prices for each • house. These ar e submitted to applicants. If the tender accepted exceeds the amount advanced by the council, the applicant must pay the difference into the council or reduce the job to the amount of the grant. : '-. . ' ' '

(4). The council lets the contract, and houses are ejected under the supervision of.'the borough building inspector. No extras are ./'recognised unless authorised in; writing .by, the inspector, and no extras are' allowed until the purchaser first pays the cost to the council.

(5) The maximum amount' advanced by the council was originally £800, but owing to' falling costs it is now £700. (A good four or five-roomed house, with every, convenience, can now be built here for £700. Desirable quarter-acre building sHes can be purchased at from £70 to £100 each.) (6) The 'purchaser is required to enter into an agreement of sale'and pur: chase prepared by the borough' 1 solicitor at his expense, containing the : usual covenants and providing for monthly repayments at the rate of £7 per cent: per annum for 25£ years, covering interest and.sinking fund. The purchaser agrees not to let or sell within five years without the 1 consent of the council. Some of.the advantages claimed for the scheme are: Assurance that purchasers who own or can buy .a section are not."men of straw," but, show evidence of thrift;. variation of^design arid location; limited capital advanced ,keeps repayments within! the means of,: most wage-earners; local control and supervision "on the job" means greater promptness, economy, and efficiency ;■ the council's and' the purchaser's positions are improved with each monthly payment. „ . • It is found that repayments of principal and interest average £1 2s 6d weekly, considerably less than is paid for rent alone for similar dwellings in WaiIpukuraii. The council is raising a further £5000 this year to build another •even houses. ■ ,