Candidate Matthew Reweti answers Renters United’s questions

VOTE HOUSING: LOCAL BODY 2022

Renters United asked every candidate in the Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori Ward 17 questions about the issues that most concern renters in their ward. Here are Matthew Reweti’s responses in full.

Rapid fire questions

Are you a renter? Yes
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? 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?
I support implementing as many actions as possible to increase secure and stable housing e.g. provide more Council housing and encourage more social housing inncluding Te Kainga apartment conversions and partnerships with Kainga Ora. I believe that a rental market that favours the tenant will also encourage private landlords to offer more stable and secure tenancies (but I won’t hold my breath on that one).
I also support the use of Council inspections as outlined in the RU Healthy Homes Commitment. I would also encourage Council Inspectors, where possible, to inspect individual landlords, in clusters. To further protect renters from retaliatory landlord practices. E.g. inspecting three properties belonging to one landlord, or inspecting three properties managed by one Property Manager.
I personally support central government regulation of property managers too.

How will you ensure all council tenants have security of tenure?
I have committed to supporting Labour Party candidates policies on council housing. The policies align with my personal values for safe, affordable and secure housing for all. I support the protection from eviction from CHPs as voted on by Labour councillors. I support prioritising stable and sustained tenancies are core to Te Kainga. I also support
resourcing tenant advocacy such as the group Labour councillors voted to establish. I support measures for Council to be best practice landlords.

What steps will you take to end homelessness in Wellington?
Work with, fund and empower community-led organisations such as DCM and City Mission.

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?
Labour councillors voted to use Council powers to actively investigate unhealthy and unsanitary homes on behalf of tenants. I will support this to continue. Labour councillors also established a tenants advocacy service through Community Law. I will push for this to be extended and promoted, as well as through other services Council funds such as CAB. Labour councillors pushed for mandatory education of landlords to be included in regulation, and will keep pushing for greater regulation of property managers and all landlords. Being a landlord is not a right, and it needs to come with responsibilities.

What do you think Council should do to address power imbalance between landlords and tenants? If nothing, why?
I am committed to any measures which support a balance of power. Free or affordable access to information, advice and support will help both tenants and landlords. I support local and central government regulation to protect tenants. More housing supply and more social housing will play a part in stabilising the rental market creating more balance. I will be a voice, on Council, for Maori renters especially in social and council housing.

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?
Yes. This is core Labour candidate policy and has been supported in the current Council. Labour councillors have pushed WCC to stronger advocacy in this area, and will continue to do so. We have all signed up to support the Renters United programme and as a team
that is majority renters, consider this an essential part of our role if elected.

What do you think are the main reasons rents in Wellington are increasing? How would you ensure rents in Wellington are affordable?
Supply of housing versus high demand have been big drivers for rent increase. Market forces (low interest rates, borrowing against existing property and booming prices) favour existing landlords or only the highest earners.
I support a multi-faceted approach to making rents affordable. Principally Council can assist by city-wide upzoning close to public transport and with large walking catchments around inner city and suburban centres.
Upzoning would allow for more affordable housing options but also do more to increase the supply.
I support construction with all the levers available to Council including resourcing the consents office to improve the speed of resource consenting and all other measures to attract develepment in the housing market.
We also need call for other tools to support affordability while we build more housing, and
that includes measures like localised and time bound rent controls.

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?
Labour council candidates support organisations like the Sustainability Trust to do the on the ground work to upgrade our housing stock. As a new candidate I will support policy to greatly reduce/eliminate character protections which have kept poor older housing at the expense of development of newer healthier homes. I support the RU Healthy Homes Commitment. I will continue to support measures in the District Plan to ensure new homes are healthy, warm , dry and accessible.

Anything else you want to share?

I reiterate, my earlier answer:
I would encourage Council Inspectors, where possible, to inspect individual landlords, in clusters (clusters of houses owned by the individual). I think this would minimise the ability of the landlord to identify a complaint, granted it won’t always be the case. To further protect renters from retaliatory landlord practices. E.g. inspecting three properties belonging to one landlord, or inspecting three properties managed by one Property Manager.

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

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In: Elections 2022, Wellington. .