Letters: Short term holiday rental rules must be addressed

We've sent out invitations for everyone to come, but forgot to build the homes and infrastructure to look after them when they arrive. Photo/file

Congratulations to council for responding sensibly to the new challenges emerging around short-term holiday rentals. Multiple reports of progress are most encouraging, despite needless secrecy generating some unfortunate mistrust and speculation.

In my view council really should publish a timeline of inclusionary policy making and implementation processes, including public hearings, before decisions are made.

On February 9, the Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers (RDRR) Facebook called on Rotorua Lakes Council to develop a new policy-making process and to implement fresh, fair, legal and reasonable regulations. Citizens were suffering from the behaviour of a small minority of visitors and landlords. Some of the council's policies and regulations had been rendered obsolete by a new Internet business model. The RDRR's posting was forwarded to all on council and went viral.

On 13 February a council press release claimed: "During the past few months staff have been investigating options available to council to protect the public from potential negative impacts".

Two days later, in the closed Annual Plan workshop, the chief executive was asked by council to investigate specific legal issues and how other councils have adjusted their policies and regulations.

The dynamism of this new and fast-growing business sector will inevitably create loose ends. Public consultations and mediation will be essential. Conversions will add to the scarcity of long-term and emergency accommodation. Reorganisation and capacity building on council will be critical.

Overall, however, the council's responsiveness and willingness to learn is to be applauded.

[ABRIDGED]
REYNOLD MACPHERSON
Rotorua

The latest QV housing statistics reported by the Rotorua Daily Post show that Rotorua is one of the top in the country for house value increases when compared to the same time last year.

Many will wonder, why have property values gone up 29 per cent? Houses have not been given $100,000 worth of upgrades, there hasn't been gold struck up the back of Hunt's farm. So why the increase?

Well, one reason could be that for every home bought by a first home buyer, two are bought by property investors.

Perhaps another aspect adding to the insatiable demand for housing is the extra 71,000 people who migrated to New Zealand last year.

Managed well, immigration can be a good thing, a vibrant multicultural society is a great thing, plus with a large portion of our population, the baby boomer generation, set for retirement soon, there is a need for skilled people to fill their jobs.

Unfortunately, immigration has been managed badly in my view. It's just like when you invite people over for dinner but only have six spare chairs at the table, you can either invite six people, or plan to have new chairs to seat the remainder of the guests.

In New Zealand's case, we've sent out invitations for everyone to come, but forgot to build the homes and infrastructure to look after them when they arrive. In my view, the Government needs to urgently update property investment and immigration policies, or build more homes and infrastructure to meet demand, before home ownership is reserved for the rich and becomes but an impossible dream for the rest of us.

RYAN GRAY
Rotorua