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Posted on 16-2-2002
Auckland
Pensioner Housing Threatened
The proposed sale of Auckland City pensioner housing is a major
source of
concern for many people.
Here is a time line of council decision making on this issue.
15th February Friday - report on New Windsor pensioner housing
complex –
whether to partially continue with works or cancel and sell
– Community
Services Committee , 1.30pm, Committee Room, Level 15, Civic
Building, 1
Greys Avenue – public meeting
21st February Thursday– A report on the sales strategy for general
residential housing will be considered at the Finance and Corporate
Business Committee, 1.30pm, Committee Room, Level 15, Civic
Building, 1
Greys Avenue, Auckland. This is a public meeting.
8th March Friday – A report on exit strategy for pensioner housing
will be
considered at the Community Services Committee, 1.30pm, Committee
Room,
Level 15, Civic Building, 1 Greys Avenue. This is a public meeting
A rally will be held at 1 pm on each of the above days outside
the Civic
Building.
A special meeting for action on housing: Thursday 28 February,
Freeman's
bay Community Centre, Hepburn St. 7.30 pm.
Contact Housing Action Coordinator for Wake Up Auckland Sigrid
Shayer,
ph/fax 361 1517, email sigridshayer@ezysurf.co.nz
Background information
There are around 1670 pensioner units spread across the city
on about 55
sites. Tenants currently pay 25% of income (superannuation)
weekly. The
previous Council agreed a long term refurbishment and rationalisation
strategy over 20 years which was to have retained the same number
of units
but on fewer sites (58 to 50), and made great improvements to
size and
quality of units.
Some sites were originally gifted to the Council. Other houses
have been
built with bequests. The council seems intent on pocketing this
any
proceeds from such sales. There have been recent adverts for
pensioner
units for sale – these are an on-going but little known part
of the
pensioner housing property portfolio known a ‘Own Your Own’
where
pensioners are offered units at 80% of market value on the condition
that
the property is sold back to the Council.
We were given reports that many existing pensioner tenants as
well as those
on the waiting list, which has been abruptly halted, are devastated
and
experiencing great stress. There was no mention of pensioner
housing being
under threat in the ACRN or John Banks’ manifesto. They do NOT
have a
mandate to do this.
There are 130 general residential units, mostly in Freeman's
Bay, the rest
being in Grey Lynn and Ponsonby. These are the remnant of over
650 units
before the Council of 1996 – 1999 agreed to sell them off. Others
have
been acquired as part of long term road schemes, or gifted.
Rents are 95%
of market rent. Some of the tenants are long term survivors
of the
previous sale programme, and are worn out and despairing over
the situation.
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>Further meeting times and dates
</fontfamily>
<underline><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><bigger>PARNELL</bigger></fontfamily></underline><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><bigger>
Parnell Community Centre, 545 Parnell Rd, Monday 25 Feb 8.00 pm</bigger>
<bold><underline><bigger>FREEMAN'S BAY</bigger></underline><bigger> Freeman's Bay Community Centre, 52 Hepburn St, Tuesday 26 Feb 7.30 pm
</bigger></bold>
<bold><underline><bigger>OTAHUHU</bigger></underline><bigger> Otahuhu Town Hall, 10 High St, Wednesday 27 Feb 7.30 pm
</bigger></bold>
<bold><bigger>Thursday 28 Feb - either Panmure or Ellerslie - to be advised.
</bigger></bold>
<bold><underline><bigger>BLOCKHOUSE BAY</bigger></underline><bigger> Glenavon School, 340 Blockhouse Bay Rd, Monday 4 March 7.30 pm
</bigger></bold>
<bold><underline><bigger>ORAKEI</bigger></underline><bigger> Orakei School, 1 Grace St, Tuesday 5 March 7.30 pm
</bigger></bold>
<bold><underline><bigger>MT ROSKILL</bigger></underline><bigger> Fickling Convention Centre, 546 Mt Albert Rd, Wednesday 6 March 7.30 pm
</bigger></bold>
<bold><underline><bigger>GLEN INNES</bigger></underline><bigger> Glen Innes Community Centre, 96 Line Rd, Thursday 7 March 7.30 pm
</bigger></bold>
<bold><underline><bigger>ST HELIERS</bigger></underline><bigger> St Heliers Community . Centre, 100 St Heliers Bay Rd, Monday 11 March 7.30 pm
</bigger></bold></fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>PETITION: A peition has been prepared. Please copy it and circulate it amongst your friends, family and neighbours. Please let Susan Grimsdell ph 377 8789, email </fontfamily>susang@pl.net<fontfamily><param>Arial</param> know if you want copies, and also please send her names and addresses (email address preferably, or fax number) of groups and organisations that you think would be supportive of the petition. The first big outing of the Petition will be at the cultural event at Potters Park on Sunday. If you would like to help obtain signatures, you can get copies from the Green Party stall, contact Lynne Serpe.
</fontfamily>
<bold>STOP PRESS: Housing Alert: </bold>CHANGE OF MEETING FROM 28 Feb to 24th Feb
Auckland City Council have published a public notice in todays (Feb 14th) NZ Herald, signalling a motion at the next full Council meeting on 28th Feb to sell all its general residential properties (which it then lists individually). The Notice is in Section C page 11.
A presence needs to be made at this Council meeting on Thursday 28 Feb which starts at 6 pm, in the Council Chambers, Town Hall. RALLY 5.30 pm Aotea Square.
As a result there is a change to the public meeting on housing which we advertised for the 28th Feb. THIS IS NOW CHANGED TO SUNDAY 24TH FEB, 7PM 9PM, FREEMAN'S BAY COMMUNITY CENTRE, 52 HEPBURN STREET.
This meeting will consider actions for both general residential as well as pensioner housing, the latter being considered at a committee meeting the following week (8th March).
Please attend the rally at 1pm at the Civic Building, 1 Greys Avenue, before the 21st Feb meeting of the Finance and Corporate Business Committee (1.30 pm) where the sales strategy will (obviously) be rubber stamped.
CAMPAIGN FOR BETTER TRANSPORT
The inaugural meeting for this group will be held: Monday 4
March 8.00pm Mt Eden War Memorial Hall, Dominion Rd.
This is an opportunity to get an up to date briefing on exactly what is going on and on the implications of the roads, roads, roads approach of the Council for the whole region.
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