State housing - Why do we have it?

[Dave Lobster]

In a country where unemployment is SO low, how can anyone be SO poor, that they can't afford their own rent?
Why should the government house some people, but not help others?

Are we to believe that some of the population is too stupid to make their own way in life, and will need subsiding until they die? I don't believe anyone is THAT stupid.

How about people in the subsidised housing are given one for two years? That's enough time to put a deposit together, surely?

(Unless they've pissed all their money on booze/fags/drugs/etc.)

[Motu]

I'd much rather the government put resources into developing affordable efficent housing for private ownership. :

We had that with State loans....Housing Corp as it was at the time.That's how I got my first house - and it wasn't easy.My parents got their first house on a State loan too....and hundreds of thousands of others too.When I got my loan interest rates were 17%,our Housing Corp loan was 13%...pretty damn good we thought at the time.

Then National sold all the loans....and all the money they would earn to Fay Ritchbuggers....and the nation lost.

[SARGE]

Here's the thing. The government doesn't need to own houses to fulfil its "obligations" as a landlord of last resort. It can lease properties of a required standard from the private sector, which is already the dominant low income rental housing provider.

i had a 2 unit duplex back home that i rented straight to the military base near where i lived.. i never touched it.. i told them NCO's and above and thats all they put in there..they came in .. did an inspection before and after occupancy.. they handled the maintenance.. they did the placements.. all i did was collect the check..

[MadDuck]

We had that with State loans....Housing Corp as it was at the time.That's how I got my first house - and it wasn't easy.My parents got their first house on a State loan too....and hundreds of thousands of others too.When I got my loan interest rates were 17%,our Housing Corp loan was 13%...pretty damn good we thought at the time.

Then National sold all the loans....and all the money they would earn to Fay Ritchbuggers....and the nation lost.

Yep I hear what you are saying Motu. It was Housing Corp back then for us to. They offered a buy back to long term residents in the early 90s. it was tough but I was able to buy our State Home and give my mum a secure future. The rate was 14.5% and we didnt eat much.

It broke the cycle of reliance on the state for our family. I doubt very much that would happen these days.

[Motu]

I own an ex State house,and all the houses in the area are ex State,and a few still State rentals.The option to buy was a good one too....although it allowed a lot of speculators in as well.You can tell the privatley owned rentals around here - they are shit boxes.Housing NZ homes are in much better condition.

I work with a guy who just built a brand new home - State Tenants moved in a week after it was finished.Like Sarge....all he has to do is watch the bank balance rise every month.

[Chisanga]

Social Housing makes up about 5% of the total dwelligns in NZ (according to census 2006) owner-occupiers 67% and private renters 25%. About 3% is unknown for various reasons. Although 66,000 properties operted and managed by HNZC seems like a lot they have over 5000 families on a waiting list for a state home.

If I recall correctly at least 10% of these (500 people) if not more have a critical. urgent housing need that needs to be filled immediately.... meanwhile a little girl waits....

[Lucy]

We had that with State loans....Housing Corp as it was at the time.That's how I got my first house - and it wasn't easy.My parents got their first house on a State loan too....and hundreds of thousands of others too.When I got my loan interest rates were 17%,our Housing Corp loan was 13%...pretty damn good we thought at the time.

Then National sold all the loans....and all the money they would earn to Fay Ritchbuggers....and the nation lost.

Ssshhhhh! Dontcha know you aren't allowed to badmouth National anymore?

Everything that is wrong with the country is because of Helen Clark being ugly and childless. From what I read on the 'net anyway.....

[davereid]

Everything that is wrong with the country is because of Helen Clark being ugly and childless....

Fuck, I didn't know she was Childless !

[Hitcher]

Although 66,000 properties operted and managed by HNZC seems like a lot they have over 5000 families on a waiting list for a state home.

Most of the 5,000 families on that waiting list will currently be adequately housed. There's part of the nonsense about a "demand" for housing purely because people think they can get something for lower cost than through other suppliers.

HNZC's role should be as a landlord of last resort -- for individuals and families whose rental housing needs are not met by the private sector -- rather than providing rental properties for low-income people.

[Chisanga]

Most of the 5,000 families on that waiting list will currently be adequately housed. There's part of the nonsense about a "demand" for housing purely because people think they can get something for lower cost than through other suppliers.

HNZC's role should be as a landlord of last resort -- for individuals and families whose rental housing needs are not met by the private sector -- rather than providing rental properties for low-income people.

I guess it depends on what you call "adequate" there are plenty of people currently housed but in overcrowded and unhealthy conditions, there are also a large number in sub-standard boarding houses and lodges as well as a large shortfall in housing for single people and especially women who have domestic violence concerns.

Emergency housing is oversubscribed because there is no place to move their clients through to and anecdotally, even HNZC are referring high need people to private landlords as they know they don't have a chance to house them themselves. For example in November 2003 there were 2,300 families listed as high-need in the Auckland region - however during that month HNZC had only 213 houses that became available.

And this is just state homes... then you could get into the quagmire that is homelessness, the vulnerably housed and emergency housing.

P.S. I am currently doing some research into this topic hence why I have some info at my fingertips.

[Finn]

1) How many state houses have sky dishes on them?
2) How many state houses have large screen tv's, playstations, arse kicking stereo's yet there's food in the fridge? There sure is beer though.
3) How many tenants in state houses are actually able bodied people that choose state houses and welfare as a lifestyle choice?
4) Why is it that a young married hard working couple can't afford to buy a house yet bludgers get given them?
5) Since the (previous) government handed out states houses like lolipops, why didn't they supply them with condoms as well?
6) How many tenants of state houses have known criminals in them?
7) How many tenants are not looking after our state houses?

Sure there are some people that are in real need of shelter but come on, our welfare system is in overdrive here.

[The Stranger:Me]

Fuck, I didn't know she was Childless !

Yeah, she admited she only got married for political expediency, children weren't going to help her career.

Has she ever had a real job?

[Winston001]

I guess it depends on what you call "adequate" there are plenty of people currently housed but in overcrowded and unhealthy conditions, there are also a large number in sub-standard boarding houses and lodges as well as a large shortfall in housing for single people and especially women who have domestic violence concerns.

Emergency housing is oversubscribed because there is no place to move their clients through to and anecdotally, even HNZC are referring high need people to private landlords as they know they don't have a chance to house them themselves. For example in November 2003 there were 2,300 families listed as high-need in the Auckland region - however during that month HNZC had only 213 houses that became available.

And this is just state homes... then you could get into the quagmire that is homelessness, the vulnerably housed and emergency housing.

P.S. I am currently doing some research into this topic hence why I have some info at my fingertips.

Good man. Nice to have some accurate info.

I'm involved with Habitat For Humanity which helps people at the bottom end build and purchase their own homes. This isn't a gift process, they buy, but on affordable terms. Habitat's main achievement is to break the cycle of generational instabilty through renting and moving all the time.

What frustrates me is the cost of building a house. It is far lower in Oz and the USA. There must be ways to make this efficent.

[Chisanga]

What frustrates me is the cost of building a house. It is far lower in Oz and the USA. There must be ways to make this efficent.

We have a far higher proportionof compliance costs built into the house building process than other countries do. I believe it may be around 30% not totally sure.

Habitat for Humanity do a great job - go the sweat equity!

[Finn]

What frustrates me is the cost of building a house. It is far lower in Oz and the USA. There must be ways to make this efficent.

There's a lady up north who has come up with a fantastic and very cheap way of building good quality homes. She has come up with a system of building bricks yourself. The houses are great - I have seen one myself.

PM for details if you're interested.