The proposal is included in the council’s draft long-term plan (LTP) 2024-34, released at the end of last month.
At the same time, the council has a waiting lost for its houses of just under 100. Last month, the council had a waiting list of 91 for its houses.
The number on the waiting list has averaged at 85 since July 2022, ranging from the lowest at 76 in July last year, to the highest at 91 this year.
The council has 216 houses on its books which are not all filled with elderly people.
Cr Trish Boyle said, in a statement, much of the city’s housing was getting older and it had become more difficult for new residents, families and the elderly to find warm, dry and affordable homes.
"Our council’s approach to the issue includes three key initiatives, one of which is our proposal to accelerate the speed of our programme to renew and, where necessary, replace our housing units for elderly people. We’ve already started work on heat pump upgrades and double glazing, and four new units on Stirrat St will be finished this month," Cr Boyle said.
"Other key initiatives include updating the district plan to promote better designed housing and allow increased density in some areas, and to investigate opportunities to make the best use of council land, some of which may be suitable for housing development.
"We want to know what residents think about this approach to housing, particularly if they agree with us taking funding from general rates to accelerate renewals for elderly people; that means warmer, healthier homes for our elderly and would also take pressure off other housing availability."
At present, all maintenance of council housing stock is funded from rentals.
The council was considering two options.
The first option was to provide $8.1million from general rates over eight years to help replace ageing houses faster. This would add 0.08% to rates in 2024/25.
The second was to maintain the current funding policy, with no change to rates.
Council strategy, policy and engagement manager Rhiannon Suter said feedback on the housing plan could be made at the same time as any of the other proposals set out in the draft LTP.
"Your views on the housing proposal, and on any of the other projects, activities and services set out in Our Roadmap for Our People, are an important part of council’s decision-making process. "
Submissions close next Tuesday.
