The Tararua District Council does not have sufficient reserves to fund the modernisation of its aging pensioner housing and, unless rents are increased substantially, there will need to be a large funding injection from ratepayers over the next 10 years.
If the council holds on to its pensioner housing, rents
will need to increase on average from $76 to $97 by year five of the long-term plan, (2020), but the council has indicated it would prefer to exit from its social housing and sell the entire portfolio, rather than subsidise the service through rates.
However, Dannevirke's Tim Delaney is insisting the provision of housing for the elderly needs to be seen as a mission to be approached with care.
"If we sell off that housing it will be counter-productive," he said at last week's stakeholders meeting in Dannevirke.
But district councillor Tracey Collis said it was the council's duty to ensure people involved in pensioner housing do it with care and passion.
