Housing NZ social objectives to be legislated

The organisation will also no longer be required to return a surplus to the Government.

“Housing NZ is a very different organisation under the helm of chief executive Andrew McKenzie and under our Government,” Phil Twyford says.

“It is already offering pastoral care to help tenants stay in their homes, allowing tenants to have pets, and treating drug addiction as a health issue.

“Following yesterday’s release of its report into methamphetamine contamination, it is timely for Housing NZ to now focus on the eight new social objectives set by the Government.

“These include providing good quality, warm, dry, and healthy rental housing for those who need it most, and being a fair and reasonable landlord, treating tenants and their neighbours with respect, integrity and honesty.

“Changing the presumption that Housing NZ will return a surplus will give the organisation more financial flexibility so it can build more state houses and invest in more support for their tenants.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Andrew McKenzie for the leadership he has shown over the meth testing issue and to thank Housing NZ’s staff for the work they do. Housing NZ was let down by the Government of the day on this and this was particularly difficult for frontline workers who believed they were doing the right thing for the right reason.

“Enshrining its social objectives in legislation will ensure the organisation remains the compassionate landlord it has become. Housing NZ is on track to become a world class landlord,” Phil Twyford said.

http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1809/Housing_NZ_Social_Objectives_Paper.pdf