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ASHBURTON
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Thursday, Nov 21, 2013
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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
■ ASHBURTON TENANTS
State house bill brings hope BY SUE NEWMAN
SUE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Tenants in Ashburton’s 188 state houses will soon find themselves having to justify retaining their tenancy when a new review regime is introduced. The Social Housing Reform (Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters Amendment) Bill, passed its third and final reading yesterday. It makes all state house tenancies reviewable to ensure that houses are occupied by people with the greatest need. The bill has given one Ashburton woman hope that she might finally find affordable accommodation. The woman, who does not want to be named, works part-time and was told she earned too much money to be eligible. “I’m supposed to have too much money even though I have nothing left at the end of the week,” she said. She pays $280 a week for a house she described as sub-standard, has had two rent hikes and knows that a third will be beyond her reach and she’ll be out on the street. “I’d be far better off if I wasn’t working and trying to be independent,” she said. The woman is also angry that several Ashburton state houses are occupied by Christchurch families.
Earlier this year six Christchurch families were moved to Ashburton to ease pressure on the city’s waiting lists. At that time there were 15 people on Ashburton’s waiting list, but only two were in the priority A category. Until now, only tenants who went into their state houses after July 1, 2011, had tenancies reviewed if their circumstances changed. Others have had security of tenure no matter what they earned, although rents rise as the income rises. Housing Minister Nick Smith said there were 4000 tenants nationally who earned enough to pay the full market rent. It is not known how many of these are in Ashburton. He cited the example of a captain of a fishing vessel in Nelson, making more than $100,000 a year, and living in a state house. Low-income earners pay no more than 25 per cent of their income on rent. The new law will also allow community housing providers to compete for the income-related rent subsidy to expand their role in provision of social housing. Reviewable tenancies were expected to cost the Government $46.8 million over two years as the Government moves 3000 people out of state houses by 2016/2017.
Ditching the suit for oars A bunch of Ashburton business people have decided to ditch the office and grab the oars to raise money for a local rowing club. FULL STORY
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