LIVE WELLington congratulates MP Tamatha Paul for pushing the Government on housing solutions that aren’t just market led.

The Wellington Central MP recently told media she would like to see rental controls introduced, to keep rents affordable.

LIVE WELLington says rent controls would need to be thought about carefully, in a New Zealand context, but Paul was on the right track looking for government interventions.

“It is our view that the free market will not solve the issue of housing unaffordability by itself, said LIVE WELLington convenor Jane O’Loughlin.

“The current Government thinks that freeing up developers to build by removing traditional controls like zoning and heritage will somehow result in excess supply that will bring prices so low that anyone can afford them.

“In fact – thanks to the loss of government jobs – we have a situation of excess housing in Wellington right now. And yet we have more people sleeping on the streets than ever before.”

Loosening controls and focusing on supply is not the solution that its proponents make it out to be.

“The reality is that if a city is popular and attractive, housing costs will be at a premium.  The only tried and true way to assist those on low incomes who need healthy, stable and affordable living conditions is with some kind of government-subsidised support like state housing.”

LIVE WELLington disagrees with Paul pointing the finger at ‘heritage protections’ for the fact that some landlords rent out houses in poor condition.

“This is total nonsense.  Very, very few houses in Wellington have specific heritage protections that restrict them from being renovated or improved. Any landlord using that as an excuse is lying.  Some of Wellington’s most exclusive homes were built more than 100 years ago.

“Healthy Homes Standards have helped lift the quality of rentals in Wellington and this is the kind of measure we should promote, rather than attacking false flags like character.”