Letters: Council needs to relax rules to help alleviate housing issue

The council could relax rules to help alleviate housing issues, says a reader. Photo / File

Regarding your article "Rotorua's wicked problems" (News, May 17), which detailed the dire situation facing Rotorua regarding social and housing issues, it will come as news to some, but to those who face these issues every day it will simply confirm their day-to-day struggles.

While social issues are complex, with no silver-bullet solution, there are many ways that the council can act now while a long-term vision is planned and implemented, particularly around housing.

An easy win would be loosening, and in some cases, removing particular housing planning rules all together.

For one, rules around minimum carpark spaces for houses need to go, some areas demand that two parks plus one guest car park are available per home - in practice this means that up to 36 square meters of a property used solely for cars.

So for every three houses built, an entire house could have been built to house a family, but instead there is room to park three metal boxes.

The council needs to let the market decide what houses people want instead of imposing rules which restrict housing supply in our city.

Another area to look at is AirBnBs, with reportedly more than 1000 listings in our city which further restrict rental supply while giving very little back to the wider community, other than pressures on infrastructure and transforming community suburbs into motel strips.

If the council doesn't act now, perhaps a few fresh faces around the council table in October could see that it does.

Ryan Gray
Council candidate

Three times is enough

Regarding term limits for councillors, I would like to see a three x three-year term (nine years) brought in (News, May 13).

I feel this is long enough for councillors to learn the protocols and the infrastructure of the council and, the criteria for managing portfolios, should they be given any.

This would also give enough time to implement any project that received the go-ahead by councillors' vote. I understand from past experience that it is hard to give up a position one has put a lot of time and effort into.

However, I also think it is very selfish to stay on, year after year, depriving other citizens of a chance of making a contribution to the council with fresh ideas.

I also totally agree with Ray Cook's suggestion that a rotating system needs to be put in place. A mix of those with experience and, "newbies", is what makes a good council.

To those councillors who have got beyond comfortable in their chamber seats, there is life after the council.

Pauleen Wilkinson
Rotorua

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