Dunedin civic leaders built a ‘bastard stadium’ instead of making the conscious decision to look after our most vulnerable citizens.
The increasing cost of private rental accommodation in Dunedin has seen the demand for social housing rise during the past six months, with Housing New Zealand housing one family a day during that time.
The amount of money people needed just to get in the front door of a private rental was out of reach for many families.
–Nicola Taylor, Anglican Family Support
### ODT Online Sun, 2 Mar 2014
State housing in demand
By Tim Miller – The Star
Unaffordable rental property in Dunedin is driving lower-income families into social housing, with one property manager saying the situation could get worse if rental properties are required to lift their standards.
Increased demand has seen the waiting list of families waiting for one of Dunedin’s 1451 state houses increase to 64.
Read more
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### radionz.co.nz Friday 28 February 2014
Nine to Noon with Kathryn Ryan
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon
09:08 Revised statistics reveal true extent of elderly poverty
Roy Reid, president Grey Power New Zealand Federation; and Jonathan Boston, professor of public policy at Victoria University and co-chair of the Expert Advisory Group on Solutions to Child Poverty.
Audio | Download: Ogg MP3 ( 23:33 )
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The Accommodation Supplement available to low income people and beneficiaries has not been raised for NINE YEARS.
This fact, of course, doesn’t and won’t stop upwardly mobile Dunedin landlords (many of them absentee) seeking capital gains and higher rents, while exercising tax avoidance under current legislation —there are insufficient casual, part-time and full-time jobs available in the city to service increasingly high rents (income poverty). With the result Dunedin renters in genuine need are being severely squeezed — this impacts on the health and wellbeing of individuals, couples and families, placing a long-term cost burden on the rest of society. Not surprisingly, the number of homeless people is rising. Meanwhile, the mayor, the council chief executive and friends are skooting off to China on junkets, in the time-honoured tradition of the Old Dunedin CARGO CULT.
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Accommodation Supplement is a weekly payment which helps people with their rent, board or the cost of owning a home.
You may get an Accommodation Supplement if you:
• have accommodation costs
• are aged 16 years or more
• are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
• normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here
• are not paying rent for a Housing New Zealand property.
It also depends on:
• how much you and your spouse or partner earn
• any money or assets you and your spouse or partner have.
How much you will get on the Accommodation Supplement will depend on:
• your income
• your assets
• your accommodation costs
• your family circumstances
• where you live.
For more information go to:
http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/individuals/a-z-benefits/accommodation-supplement.html
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
*Image: odt.co.nz – State Housing (re-imaged by whatifdunedin)
What if? Dunedin... 
Semper Fidelis, I’m not publishing your lengthy comment due to the financial and other information you give for yourself and your family member. I would need their permission for you to comment on their position but frankly I’m not prepared to publish this personal information even so. Besides, your alias is recognisable to some and you should think seriously about the possible short and long term consequences of blogging personal information of this kind. I kindly suggest this isn’t the appropriate forum and I advise you not to blog it anywhere. It’s up to you whether you take this advice.
Site Owner/Admin.
I think we all remember when ex Mayor Peter Chin tried to offer Dunedin’s social housing to the government in order to help fund the stadium build.
Responsibly, wisely, Cr Teresa Stevenson exposed him on this.
### dunedintv.co.nz March 3, 2014 – 7:13pm
Nightly interview: Kevin Tansley
Dunedin’s night shelter trust was established in 2002 after a study found a need for a homeless shelter in the city. The shelter itself came four years later, and it has recently been dealing with an increase in numbers. Deputy chairman Kevin Tansley is here with an update.
Video
A pretty sad, and bad, indictment on the economic and social direction of this country.
We don’t seem to be learning anything, Peter :(
### dunedintv.co.nz March 5, 2014 – 6:50pm
Nightly interview: Lindsay Andrews
New Zealand’s economy has been tipped to do well this year, with plenty of evidence for a strong recovery. But social service agencies are seeing another side to that story. Salvation Army Dunedin community ministries manager Lindsay Andrews is here to explain.
Video
### ODT Online Sun, 11 May 2014
Women using night shelter
By Dan Hutchinson – The Star
More than 50 women have stayed at Night Shelter Dunedin since it stopped its men-only policy nine months ago, including someone in the last month of pregnancy.Ian McAuliffe, one of two managers at the shelter, said they had helped several pregnant, homeless women, women on their own and others who had children with them.
Read more
Absolutely appalling that we have well advanced, pregnant women having to use the night shelter. Something is rotten in our society when this happens.
### ODT Online Sun, 1 Jun 2014
In from the cold
By Bruce Munro
They are united with each other by a lack of other options and with all of us by humanity’s frailty. But each of the hundreds of men and women who every year pass through the doors of the Dunedin Night Shelter has their own affecting story. Here are four of them.
Read more
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Gimme shelter (via ODT)
The Dunedin Night Shelter Trust which provides emergency short-term accommodation has seen a 46% increase in demand during the past 12 months, acting chairman Kevin Tansley says. ”For several months during that period we’ve had more than 100 bed-nights a month,” he says. ”We get locals, transients, men, women and children, released prisoners, students thrown out of their flat, men who have suffered from domestic violence.”
To put its services on a surer footing, the trust wants to buy the inner-city property it rents. The site has two houses; the roadside, five-bedroom night shelter, and, on the back of the property, Phoenix Lodge, which provides short- to medium-term accommodation for people motivated to make changes. A successful $650,000 fundraising campaign would allow the trust to buy the property and create on-site office space. Some significant donations have already been pledged. But they are conditional on the campaign gaining support and momentum.
█ For more information about the Dunedin Night Shelter Trust’s One Bite fundraising campaign visit http://www.dunedinnightshelter.co.nz/One_Bite
### ODT Online Sun, 19 Oct 2014
Social housing: Joint approach one option for city
By Brenda Harwood – The Star
The Dunedin City Council and social agencies believe the city will need to find ways to carve out its own future to meet the social housing needs of an ageing population. With the Government moving to sell off Housing New Zealand stock across the country, and signalling it would like to shift the administration of social housing to NGOs, a major change is in the wind. For the moment, council and agencies are adopting a cautious approach, but the discussion on Dunedin’s future housing needs has begun.
Read more
### dunedintv.co.nz March 5, 2015 – 5:57pm
Public seminar held to explain social housing reform programme
Government representatives are in town, explaining new social housing reforms to residents.
Video
### ODT Online Sun, 19 Apr 2015
Trust sets up fundraising scheme
By Brenda Harwood – The Star
The brutal cold snap that hit Dunedin this week has highlighted the plight of the city’s homeless and the vital work of the Dunedin Night Shelter Trust. The night shelter is dealing with a growing demand for its services at a time when funding has grown ever tighter. To counter this, and in a bid for funding independence, the trust has launched the “Friends of the “Night Shelter” programme.
Read more
Encouraging News !
Sun, 17 Apr 2016
ODT: Two major donations for trust
Substantial donations are helping the Dunedin Night Shelter Trust extend its social work services. Mercy Hospital Charitable Outreach will contribute $39,000 annually for the next three years, and staff at Goodman Fielder have recently given $7000 raised at their annual golf tournament. Trust chairman Dave Brown said the ‘‘super generous” donations would be used to help pay salaries when the trust’s plans to increase its community social work reached fruition.
I can think of a number of people, not families, who need group or sheltered housing in the Dunedin area. This sell-off seems criminal for TOTAL lack of trying to identify the needy and the already badly housed who don’t have cars and need an upgrade in an easily accessible area like “flat” Mosgiel.
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Wed, 1 Jun 2016
ODT: Mosgiel state homes for sale
Housing New Zealand is selling 30 state houses in Mosgiel because of “low ongoing demand” for them. The vacant houses are in Murray St, where the corporation owns 53 state houses. They will be sold on the open market. HNZ confirmed the sell-off just days after Presbyterian Support Otago (PSO) said Dunedin had a growing homelessness problem.
This Comment at ODT Online tells us WHY the state houses to be sold would be excellent if kept and used for social housing with the appropriate client referrals that can surely be found (for godsake):
Making it up as they go along
Submitted by Snoot on Wed, 01/06/2016 – 8:41am.
“Dunedin South MP Clare Curran acknowledged Mosgiel’s distance from educational facilities and social services made it unsuitable for some tenants.”
Rubbish! The homes are all within walking distance of schools, medical centres, supermarkets (two) and the main Mosgiel shopping centre. WINZ is two blocks away, Most back on to Peter Johnston Park and other major sports fields and a swimming pool are at the end of the street. The library and DCC office is ten minutes walk. Taieri High School has a very good reputation and there are two early childhood centres on the street. There is a regular bus service and many choose to live out here and travel daily into University of Otago and Otago Polytech. Stop making excuses for your own inefficiency.
“They have been living in a draughty flat with holes in the walls and floor and leaks in the roof for the past year and a-half, and they were finally moving out, they said.”
It’s unusual to sign a lease for more than a year, yet these people have stayed there a year and a half.
I expect the holes in the walls and floor developed spontaneously after they had signed the lease, otherwise they’d never have signed up in the first place – ”No-one wants to live in these conditions,” Ms Coetzee said.
.
How many landlords rent flats out with the aforementioned on the promissory note of fixing SOON (and it had better be written into the signed tenancy agreement). Then tenants for whatever reason do not pursue a 10-day work order via the Ministry or seek tenancy mediation and a tenancy tribunal hearing. If you follow the rules (it’s freaking easy) you get OFFICIAL help, work done and a settlement (which can include a sum for distress or other associated costs) – it’s that easy. No legal costs involved.
Doesn’t the students’ association provide help with tenancy matters? Surely they could give this advice.
The limpness of students is so depressing.
Supposed to. But yes, limpness all round. Or the tenants can trot round to Community Law in Filleul St for free advice.