Housing NZ tenant evictions cause protest

Photo / Katarina Metzler

Protesters angry at the eviction of Housing New Zealand tenants to make room for redevelopment in Glen Innes are occupying an empty property.

A dozen protesters have vowed to stay at the house on Silverton Ave today and tonight after police let protesters continue their sit-in.

The group is angry that 45 Housing NZ tenants in Wai o Taiki Bay, overlooking the Tamaki Estuary east of Glen Innes, will have to leave their homes because the block of high-value properties will be sold to private developers to fund new state houses elsewhere.

A further 111 Housing New Zealand tenants in Glen Innes, between Apirana Ave and West Tamaki Rd, will also have to leave to make way for more intensive redevelopment.

Housing NZ would be keeping 118 new and renovated homes in the area.

Earlier this week Housing NZ project manager Graham Bodman said some land in the Glen Innes block would also be sold to private buyers and non-profit housing providers.

The aim is to reduce Housing NZ homes across the two redevelopment blocks from 57 per cent to 53 per cent over the next five years.

But protesters yesterday moved into an empty house in Glen Innes, saying any privatisation or sell-down of the housing was an attack on the right to housing for all New Zealanders.

"State houses were intended as spacious, healthy family homes for life and many were given to soldiers returning from World War Two.

"For the Government to then attempt to evict families in Glen Innes including the families of returned servicemen is absolutely revolting."

Protests would continue until the Government withdrew its notices of eviction, Mr Malva said.