11. NICKY WAGNER (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Housing
What progress has Housing New Zealand made in assessing and fixing State houses that have been damaged by the Canterbury earthquake?
Hon PHIL HEATLEY (Minister of Housing) Link to this
Since the earthquake, Housing New Zealand Corporation has investigated 6,000-plus of its properties and carried out 2,000 interim repairs. In fact, almost 4,000 State houses were damaged, 38 have major structural damage, and 183 require land remediation. Of the 4,000 houses damaged, contractors are completing about 100 permanent repairs a week on 1,500 properties so they should be finished by about March next year. Of the 2,500 remaining that require more serious work, that should be completed within 12 months. So progress is very, very good indeed.
How has Housing New Zealand Corporation assisted tenants whose properties have been significantly damaged by the earthquake?
Tenants whose homes are not safe to remain in, due to structural or health and safety reasons, have all been relocated to alternative accommodation. Tenants who opted to stay in their homes but who were suffering some sort of significant inconvenience due to unreliable essential services, or things like that, had their rent halved. So if they chose to stay and there were no health and safety issues they were paying only half rent at this stage. Housing New Zealand Corporation is actively working with many tenants to find interim measures such as installing temporary sceptic tanks and that type of thing in order to improve their living conditions. So Housing New Zealand Corporation is working very well with its tenant base.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Kia ora, Mr Speaker; kia ora tātou. Is the Minister aware that one of the four safe houses of the Battered Women’s Trust in Christchurch, which suffered extensive damage to the piles of the house during the earthquake, will not be replaced, as the local-level community housing manager has told them that the home that was being looked at for their relocation will not go forward, as they will not replace the broken window and put up a fence or a gate; and what action can be taken to ensure there is sufficient emergency housing to respond to the increased levels of domestic violence in Christchurch?
I think the member will be delighted to know that the women’s refuge will be moving into a new home in the weekend. The refuge is delighted to be doing that, and I am delighted that that is able to happen.
Brendon BurnsWhat assurance can the Minister provide to residents in areas like Richmond, Avonside, Dallington, and Kaiapoi, where there are ongoing concerns among Housing New Zealand Corporation tenants for their security of tenure, where they have already been relocated to temporary accommodation because of uninhabitable homes, and where there are those still occupying homes but who may have to move out to allow repairs to be made?
Tenants who need to move out of houses because repairs need to be made need to move out of their houses because repairs need to be made. Housing New Zealand Corporation will provide accommodation for them, and when repairs have been made they will be able to move back into their houses.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
In the bigger picture, as the national landlord, what plan is in place to deal with the social impact of a disaster on social housing?
Housing New Zealand Corporation has an excellent system in place to deal with disaster impacts on social housing, such as the civil defence situation with the Canterbury earthquake. As I outlined in my answer to the primary question, members can see how that planning works through in practice, in contacting its tenants, relocating them, getting repairs up and running as soon as possible, and making sure that houses are fixed and then tenants are moved back into their home in due course.