17 Apr 2016

Aucklanders voice concerns over state housing sale

12:33 pm on 17 April 2016

The government is obligated to run state housing, regardless of whether it partners with social housing groups or not, an Auckland community board chair says.

State housing in Upper Hutt.

Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

Tenants and sector groups voiced their concerns over the sale of state housing at a meeting to discuss the shortfall in affordable housing in Auckland.

About 50 people and groups spoke at the New Zealand Housing Summit in Auckland yesterday, organised by a partnership including the State Housing Action Network and Unite Union.

Papatoetoe-Otara Community Board chair Efeso Collins said many at the summit felt the government had a large housing portfolio and it should continue to provide state housing.

"So people came away saying, look, we believe it's the role of the state to undertake state housing, they've got a large portfolio at the moment - they should be running that.

"If they're going to get into the area of social housing they should partner with those groups rather than sell off state housing, and move it into a kind of social housing partnership idea."

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