September 26, 2016
Candidates quizzed on boarding house horrors
Auckland’s mayoral candidates have been challenged to do something about the standard of boarding houses.
Mangere Budgeting Centre director Darryl Evans told the mayor debate at Nga Whare Waatea that high rents were forcing families out of their homes into cars, parks, caravans and boarding houses.
He asked candidates whether they had been into boarding houses to see the substandard quality, and what they would do to set and enforce standards.
Mark Thomas says he went out with the City Mission and Lifewise while he was researching his homeless policy, so he saw the problem first hand,
He believes the council should use its hundreds of building inspectors as extra eyes and ears to build up the pressure to fix the problem.
Chloe Swarbrick says council should collaborate with marae and private agencies already tacking the problems of homelessness.
Vic Crone said regulation was needed, and the council has the resources to know what is happening in its city.
She says it needs to build more house affordable housing and it also needs to control its spending to limit increase in rates and other service charges.
John Palino says Auckland’s housing problems were the fault of council for enforcing its metropolitan boundary.
He advocated New York-style rent control as well as council buying up land and building houses.
Phil Goff says he’s keen to work with advocates on suitable regulations.
He says the reason families find themselves in boarding houses is because state housing in Auckland is at its lowest level in 70 years.
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