Minister for Social Housing Paula Bennett confirmed today that the transfer of more than 1000 Housing New Zealand properties in Tauranga to a community housing provider would continue and be finalised in the coming months.
"I also want to reiterate that the properties will have to stay in social housing unless the government agrees otherwise, and existing tenants will be housed for the duration of their need," she said in a wide-ranging address summing up current government housing policy at the National Maori Housing Conference in Taranga.
The reason for the transfer was simple, she said. The government wanted to hand over the running of social housing to those organisations who were committed to their communities and who could show better ways of managing tenants and upgrading houses.
"Those of you working in the community, right at the coalface, know your communities best and can deliver the services that your communities need," she said. "That's why the government's Social Housing Reform Programme includes growing the community housing sector."
"We know that the government does not have a monopoly on good ideas, advice and expertise. And we understand that to address the issues our nation faces, we must all work together."