Pensioners act to stop council sale of homes

Council management wants to sell the housing portfolio over five years to help repay the city's $30 million debt. Photo / Thinkstock

A group of pensioners living in Hamilton's ratepayer flats have banded together to oppose the council's proposal to sell their homes.

The city council has deemed three blocks with 51 units on River Rd, Johnson St and Ascot St to be "not fit for purpose" and has moved to sell the properties as part of the city's 10-year-plan.

Residents in the city's Housing for Older People properties formed the Tenants Action Group last month to get the council to back down on its plans to offload the pensioner flats.

Action group president Audrey Durose said none of the flats should be sold off without being replaced.

"This housing stock has been built up over 64 years and demand for low-cost, means-tested housing for older people is expected to be in even greater demand in the future," she said, adding that the council had already sold off three blocks of housing for the elderly in the last few years.

The action group wanted to emphasise the units were basic, "means-tested accommodation" which belonged to the ratepayers of Hamilton, Ms Durose said.

The 51 elderly tenants living in the affected units would have to find new homes; for one man in the action group this would be his third forced move.

"These people, most of whom no longer drive, may need to move well away from their social networks, doctors, public transport."

Ms Durose accepted that proposed rent increases by the council were necessary but didn't think the units' elderly residents should be forced to move.

A further 21 housing blocks, home to 344 elderly tenants, were also likely to be sold as part of the council's 10-year plan.

Council management wants to sell the housing portfolio over five years to help repay the city's $30 million debt.

The action group will oppose the council's proposal next week at a meeting about Hamilton's 10-year plan.