Grey Power Wanganui has fired the first shots at the district council's 10-year plan, strongly opposing any sale of the council's pensioner housing.
The potential sell-off is an option in council's 2015-25 plan out for consultation with the community.
The council argues the financial performance of the pensioner units cannot be sustained without ratepayer support. It has been involved in pensioner housing for decades, providing low-cost accommodation for people with low financial means, but it has been "ring-fenced", meaning it does not call on ratepayer funding.
Now the council says at some point it will need ratepayer money or else a strategic shift in the make-up of the pensioner houses.
Grey Power Wanganui president Graham Adams said yesterday the sale of the entire portfolio was going too far -- although Grey Power was on record as supporting the sale of a few hard-to-rent units, providing the proceeds went to upgrading other units. "But to contemplate the sale of the entire portfolio to profit-oriented private investors or social housing groups is a step too far," Mr Adams told the Chronicle. "To me, it indicates a wish on the part of some councillors to add the word 'former' to their CVs."