Candidate Jenny Condie answers Renters United’s questions

VOTE HOUSING: LOCAL BODY 2022

Renters United asked every candidate in the Takapū/Northern Ward 17 questions about the issues that most concern renters in their ward. Here are Jenny Condie’s 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? No
Do you commit to funding tenant advocacy? No
Do you support councils retaining ownership an expanding supply of council housing? Yes
Will you lobby for IRRS to be extended to councils? No
Do you commit to densifying inner city suburbs? Yes
Will you commit to using your platform to abolish the ratepayers roll? Yes

Stable homes

What actions would you take to improve stability and security for private renters?
Increasing supply is the best thing we can do to improve stability for renters.

How will you ensure all council tenants have security of tenure?
I support leasing Council housing to a new Community Housing Provider. It will be the decision of the independent board to determine tenure for tenants. I support the Council appointed board members to argue in support of security of tenure. However, we also need to ensure that sadly limited social housing places need to be available for the most vulnerable, so there may be some cases where tenants whose financial situation is improving should be supported into other housing.

What steps will you take to end homelessness in Wellington?
Our partnership with DCM provides outreach to homeless people in Wellington and connects them with available support. We must work together with mana whenua, MSD, Kainga Ora, the new Community Housing Provider and other community organisations to increase the availability of social housing in the city and provide the wrap around support people need.

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?
I support investigating the potential for Council inspections of properties and tenant advocacy services as suggested by Renters United. The best thing we can do to remove bad landlords is increase supply so that landlords have to compete for tenants.

What do you think Council should do to address power imbalance between landlords and tenants? If nothing, why?
Make it easier for new housing to be built – increasing supply is the most meaningful action we can take to change the power imbalance. When landlords need to compete for tenants that is when the situation will improve.

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?
Rent control have the unintended effect of reducing the supply of new housing and will not provide a long term sustainable solution to the housing crisis. The best thing we can do is encourage new builds, via the new District Plan settings and by partnering with Kainga Ora to deliver new housing along the mass rapid transit corridor in the city.

What do you think are the main reasons rents in Wellington are increasing? How would you ensure rents in Wellington are affordable?
Lack of rentals. The more we can increase the supply of rentals, the more affordable rents will become.

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?
I will continue to support actions through Te Atakura delivered in partnership with Sustainability Trust that support housing insultation which both reduces emissions and makes homes warmer.

Anything else you want to share?

While I support investigating the ideas put forward by Renters United in their Healthy Homes Commitment and requests for additional tenant support I will not commit to supporting these prior to receiving officer advice on these suggestions. I support Council continuing to own social housing and leasing that housing to a CHP so that the CHP can deliver additional social housing in the city. I would support the government to provide access to IRRS for council tenants, but I do not think this is likely and will instead be focusing my efforts elsewhere.

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: Elections 2022, Wellington. .