“The Government seems to think the Healthy Home Standards they’ve imposed on Kiwi landlords don’t apply to them, with less than half of Kainga Ora homes compliant,” says ACT’s Housing spokesperson Brooke van Velden....
“The Government seems to think the Healthy Home Standards they’ve imposed on Kiwi landlords don’t apply to them, with less than half of Kainga Ora homes compliant,” says ACT’s Housing spokesperson Brooke van Velden.
“Written parliamentary questions state that as of May 31 2022, only 47.6 per cent of Kainga Ora homes were compliant. That’s an increase of just 30.6 per cent on top of the 17 per cent that were compliant at the time the policy took effect.
“The Healthy Home Standards are actually just double standards. The Government gave itself an extra two years longer than private landlords to get their homes prepared and it’s still not on track to meet that target. Yet when landlords last year asked for an extension because ongoing COVID restrictions were preventing them from completing the necessary work, the Government ignored them.
“This follows the Government also changing the heating formula for Healthy Home Standards because they knew the Government’s own new builds weren’t going to meet the standard.
“It is gross hypocrisy to expect private sector landlords to comply with rules it won’t even comply with itself.
“The Minister needs to explain why she has such high standards for landlords when she’s not bothering to meet them herself.
“Housing sector advocates, Government officials and the ACT Party all told the Government these were nothing more than over-the-top regulations that are extortionate to implement. The result was always going to be higher rents and more red tape preventing houses from being built.
“ACT believes in better, longer-lasting solutions. Attacks on landlords and private developers won’t put a roof over Kiwis’ heads.
“The question now is will the Government be able to meet its own extended deadline?”
Link to WPQ 19829