The Green Party will look to increases regulations for the rental property industry should they be part of the next Government.
While it is unlikely all of the proposed policies in the Greens’ Homes for All Plan will become law, the Government’s coalition partner has outlined what they hope to deliver.
Which includes:
- Deliver enough affordable rental homes to clear the social housing waiting list within five years.
- Stimulate a sustainable non-profit rental sector by offering Crown financial guarantees for community providers to build new rental properties.
- Remove funding and regulatory barriers to encourage community housing projects.
- Expand the current Progressive Home Ownership and Warmer Kiwi Homes programmes.
- Make renting fairer through regulating property managers, and introducing a rental Warrant of Fitness
- Overhaul the building code.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said she wants to maintain the momentum delivered by a government who have made a couple of notable changes over the past three years.
“I’m really proud of the progress we’ve made in Government this term to address housing inequality,” said Davidson
“We’ve improved the lives of people who rent, introduced the Healthy Homes Standards for rentals, and with the Government’s support, delivered more social housing than any Government has in decades.
“The Green Party wants to go further and faster to ensure all of us a safe, healthy home. We’re building on what works, ensuring all of us have the chance to put down roots in our communities.”
But the National Party says the Green’s latest housing policy is a continued attack on landlords.
“The Greens want to bring in more regulation and red tape. All that will do is place more onerous requirements and costs on landlords, scaring them out of the market, reducing the country’s rental stock and putting the price up on those that remain,” National’s Housing spokesperson Jacqui Dean said.
“This ends up hurting renters and makes even more New Zealanders dependent on state housing.”
The General Election will occur on September 19.
