Christchurch councillor wants urgent summit over housing

4:11 pm on 26 April 2012

A Christchurch City Councillor says the city is facing a housing crisis and has called for a housing summit to sort out the issue.

Councillor Glenn Livingstone, the chair of the social housing committee, says temporary housing is urgently needed and the Government is not doing enough.

Earlier this week, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced several initiatives to increase supply, including plans to speed up repair of quake-damaged social housing.

Mr Livingstone says he hopes to have the summit late next week and has invited Housing New Zealand, city council staff and private real estate agents.

He says they will need to work together to come up with practical solutions.

The summit will be open to the public.