More detailed information on what was debated can be found in the agenda available on Auckland Council’s website. The meeting minutes with a full summary of decisions will be added once confirmed.
Only 7 out of 21 Councilors voted to put affordable housing provisions back into the plan and we are gutted about this at CHA.
Councillors voted as follows – on the motion to accept the Independent Hearings Panel’s recommendation to delete provisions for retained affordable housing:
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For Cr AJ Anae Cr C Brewer Cr W Cashmore Cr LA Cooper Cr CE Fletcher Deputy Mayor PA Hulse Cr DA Krum Cr CM Penrose Cr D Quax Cr SL Stewart Cr JG Walker Cr MP Webster Cr GS Wood |
Against Mayor LCM Brown Cr C Casey Cr R Clow Cr C Darby Cr ME Lee Cr WD Walker Cr J Watson |
Auckland Council had good reasons for putting affordable housing provisions in originally. These affordability mechanisms were introduced to encourage more affordable houses to be supplied. Yes, you will eventually get more affordable housing if you build over 400,000 new houses in Auckland but it will be a long-time coming. And there will be families sleeping in cars for a while longer yet and this isn’t acceptable.
We need to learn from the misinformation that surrounded this decision and put forward the best practice approach for retained affordable housing and inclusionary zoning. Our future generations depend on it.
Here’s the Council discussion on the affordable housing provisions.
Go here to read the CHA media release and the legal opinion prepared on this by Tom Bennion.
Scott talks to Todd Niall on Radio New Zealand last Friday. Listen here.
