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Auckland needs to use its own backyard to address housing shortage

Author
Michael Sergel,
Publish Date
Thu, 31 Mar 2016, 5:43AM
Photo / Edward Swift
Photo / Edward Swift

Auckland needs to use its own backyard to address housing shortage

Author
Michael Sergel,
Publish Date
Thu, 31 Mar 2016, 5:43AM

Auckland Council is being told to look in its own backyard for ways to increase the city's housing supply.

Housing advocates have criticised councillors for voting down proposals to allow greater housing density in some inner eastern suburbs.

But a leading opponent of the intensification proposals said there are lots of other ways to address the housing shortage.

Auckland mayoral candidate Mark Thomas said the council needs to start by better managing and using its hundreds of millions of dollars worth of property.

"The old Civic administration building, which used to be the Council head office - I mean, that remains largely vacant almost two years after we moved".

Homeless advocates said the council's decision last month ignores the health and mental health effects of the severe housing shortage in the inner city.

But Thomas said the proposals were never open to public feedback and aren't the best lever for increasing supply.

"We've actually got key areas around Auckland where we could be building more apartments. Northcote, Takapuna, Henderson, areas like that".

Homeless advocate Moira Lawler said the decision suggests councillors haven't grasped the desperate need for housing in the inner city.

Deputy mayor Penny Hulse said intensification is the only way to make sure everyone has an affordable long-term place to stay.

"That isn't just about building apartments, it's actually building houses that are affordable and can deal with our homeless crisis".

Hulse said pushing people to the city fringes could make the city's housing crisis even worse as some people face the choice between unaffordable rents and unaffordable commutes.

"That can lead to triggering homelessness or people making good choices to live in garages and couch surf simply to live closer to the city".

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