Candidate Fiona Jones answers Renters United’s questions

VOTE HOUSING: LOCAL BODY 2022

Renters United asked every candidate in the Riccarton Ward 17 questions about the issues that most concern renters in their ward. Here are Fiona Jones‘ responses in full.

Rapid fire questions

Are you a renter? No
Do you own any properties? Yes
Do you support the Renters United Healthy Homes Commitment? Yes
Do you commit to funding tenant advocacy? Yes
Do you support councils retaining ownership an expanding supply of council housing? Yes
Will you lobby for IRRS to be extended to councils? Yes
Do you commit to densifying inner city suburbs? No
Will you commit to using your platform to abolish the ratepayers roll? No

Stable homes

What actions would you take to improve stability and security for private renters?

Make available more council housing, this is a very controversial topic because you need to have a fine balance to what will work for both sides as you do not want to make private rental become rare as that will not help with the cost of rentals.

How will you ensure all council tenants have security of tenure?

It will depend on circumstances here as council tenants are there to have a helping hand, and want to make them available in the future for other people that have the need. The elderly and people with disabilities need to be made a priority as they need security to not have to move, long term leases need to available and to work with groups to get the best outcome.

What steps will you take to end homelessness in Christchurch?

To be able to support programs to work with the homeless to help them get back on their feet, into a job to be able to get a house. There are a lot of reasons why someone is homelessness, there isn’t a one thing to be done that will solve it, it will take a group in the council to be supported to be able to work through all the programs and support groups that help the homeless to make them effective.

Meaningful enforcement

If elected, would you take steps to tackle persistent bad landlords who do not meet their obligations to renters in your area? If so, what?

This is quite an open question as it depends on what power imbalance is as for different views it can be imbalance or either side. There needs to be fair actions to be able to keep a landlord accountable and able to keep the rents within reason, but also renters need to be accountable so that landlords will still want to rent to be able to keep renters. A lot of the rules are made by central government and the councils do not make some of the laws/rules that need to be followed.

What do you think Council should do to address power imbalance between landlords and tenants? If nothing, why?

Advocate for better relationships, provide easy access to services, ensure coordinated planning processes so that demand and supply is more balanced, advocate for local democracy so that council has more ability to influence relationships between landlords and tenants.

Fair rent

Would you advocate for additional powers or resources from Central Government to address the housing crisis (such as legislating for Rent Control), if so what and how?

Additional powers to be able make changes for renters in each city needs be advocated from the Central Government to be able to make better changes and help the city. Some changes that government have made for the rental market have made the rents go up and have not made it better for the renters.

What do you think are the main reasons rents in Christchurch are increasing? How would you ensure rents in Christchurch are affordable?

In my view a lot of the rents going up are some of the law changes that the Central Government have made and the costs are getting passed on to the renters, this needs to be addressed to be able to get some of those costs down. There needs to be more housing to not have a shortage of rentals which will help get the cost down.

Safe and healthy homes

What actions (in contrast to or in conjunction with our Healthy Homes Commitment) would you take to improve the quality of private rental housing in your ward and in your city?

Need to have the council to do checks on houses that are said to be Healthy Homes, to have a database to have them listed to say they are compliant, follow up on ones that aren’t and make them have a fine, until they are at the Healthy Home standard.

Anything else you want to share?

No answer provided

If you are a candidate or representative of a candidate and wish to correct or elaborate on the information please contact lbe22@rentersunited.org.nz.

Authorised by Geordie Rogers, geordie@rentersunited.org.nz

About the author:

rentersunited

In: Christchurch, Elections 2022. .