Mayor seeks policy on rent subsidies

Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson is pushing for a policy shift in Income Related Rent Subsidies (IRRS) for Trust House tenants.

Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson has been actively seeking a policy change on Income Related Rent Subsidies (IRRS) for Trust House tenants who have not been eligible to receive the subsidy for the past 15 years.

The issue came to Mrs Patterson's attention when a Trust House tenant visited her last year to voice his concerns.

"In the late 1990s, the Government of the time sold Housing Corporation housing stock to Trust House and when IRRS were introduced in the early 2000s, our residents were not entitled to them as the houses were no longer in government ownership," Mrs Patterson said.

"This lack of access to IRRS has had a major impact on the financial well-being of many individuals and families."

She has contacted Minister for Social Housing Paula Bennett who is reportedly looking into the issues.

A Ministry of Social Development spokesman provided the following statements.

"Existing tenants of community housing providers are ineligible to receive the Income Related Rent Subsidy," he said.

"The Minister for Social Housing is open to re-looking at this policy and has asked officials to undertake analysis on the cost implications of extending Income Related Rent Subsidy to existing tenants.

"The Ministry of Social Development is currently looking into this."