Affordable houses plea

David Cole
David Cole
It is time for action, not words, in tackling Queenstown's affordable housing crisis.

That is the message Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust chairman David Cole gave to district plan review commissioners yesterday.

He was speaking in support of the trust's submission for council-owned land in Jopp St, Arrowtown, to be included within the township's urban growth boundary.

The trust wants to build 25 community-owned homes on the 3.6 hectare site for low-income families.

He told commissioners they ‘‘represent leadership'' in the community.

‘‘This is a simple decision you as commissioners can make to support and acknowledge the significant issue we have out here.''

His plea came after he read out extracts from some of the 1100 responses the trust received from a survey of renters. He wanted to give those present at the hearing a ‘‘sense of reality'', he said.

The community had under-invested in community housing compared to comparable districts in the South Island.

‘‘We've got a fairly paltry sum here in QLDC that I could count on the fingers of both hands.''

That compared to the Central Otago district with 100 houses, Timaru's 236 and Invercargill's 215.

The proposed Jopp St development did not represent urban ‘‘creep'', he said.

‘‘It's there, it's lying vacant, it's owned by QLDC - let's put that land to good use.''

When asked by Commissioner Cath Gilmour for the trust's view on the proposed district plan's Strategic Direction chapter and its goal relating to housing issues, Mr Cole said the plan had to close the gap between words and delivery.

‘‘Words, in my experience in this role - policies, strategies - are often challenged and interpretations are questioned by lawyers with vested interests. In terms of trying to translate an objective and a strategy into a deliverable, I want to see some deliverables.

‘‘I think there's enough knowledge, enough understanding of the data, challenges and issues. We just need to get on with it now.''

The hearing of submissions on the council's proposed district plan are into their second week.

They continue in Queenstown this morning.

 


What they said

Responses to a survey of renters read out by Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust chairman David Cole to district plan review commissioners:

"We're a family. We live in a cabin in Man St motor park. This one's going to be removed - don't know when, don't know where we're going."

"I'm shocked how much people are charging for rooms. Why should we be paying $350 for a small, single bedroom?"

"We have a friend living in a house in Thompson St with 20 people living in it. Some are sleeping in the kitchen."

"I personally know of at least four houses that have more than 15 tenants."

"I've lost two key staff members due to their inability to find affordable housing."

"I was born in Queenstown, raised in Glenorchy, from a modest family. I cannot afford to live here. I've resigned from my associate principal job at a local school, a job that I love. I can't afford to stay."


 

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