8 September 2020

Media: Rotorua Daily Post

Topic: Housing

Enquiry

In response to a story about the cost of emergency housing, I ask Bryce Heard from the Chamber to respond. He has made some comments around the current situation of pouring money into emergency housing being like "palliative care" and not a long-term solution. Here's his comments:

He said mixing homeless and tourists together was not a sustainable solution.

"I think we need solutions that address the underlying causes of homelessness. Just putting people into temporary accommodation seems like palliative care, not a long-term solution."

He said Rotorua needs more homes and more jobs and a change of thinking to long-term solutions.

"It seems to me that if we address the underlying reasons for housing shortages - things like waste water, sewerage, roading and consenting, we will remove one of the key barriers to progress."

He also said we shouldn't get too worried about creating subdivisions where state type housing prevails as state-type housing was a necessary part of the solution.

Are we so preoccupied with the immediate issues and the detail, that we are taking our eye off the bigger picture?"

Can the council please respond to Bryce's comments in particular his comment about addressing underlying reasons for housing shortages, as they are council services. What are the reasons for these delays, are they reasonable and is the council putting any extra resourcing into ensuring these are turned over as quickly as possible to help ease the housing shortages?

Mayor's comments

Just over a week ago Steve Chadwick said she was very concerned about the crime issues around the emergency housing motels on Fenton St/Glenholme areas and indicated she was calling an urgent meeting to get the facts on the table.

Has that happened and if so, what was the outcome?

Has she been given any reassurances the people getting emergency housing help are in fact locals? Is she still concerned we are being used as a "dumping ground" for problems from other areas.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=12360414

Response

From Strategy Group Manager Jean-Paul Gaston:

Council is very much focused on the big picture and very motivated to get more housing in Rotorua. We have every reason to facilitate development and that's what we are trying to do.

The housing shortage can't be solved overnight and we need more housing of all types to meet the needs of our diverse community.

Emergency housing has never been seen as a long term solution and Rotorua's housing strategy seeks to address our local housing shortage from multiple aspects with multiple parties committed to a wide variety of actions. That includes Council investing in infrastructure, district plan changes and locality planning to enable housing, and working with others to ensure homes are healthy and that we create connected, safe, resilient communities rather than just build houses.

Current council work that relates to housing and is underway:

• Housing Strategy (developed in partnership with Te Arawa and Central Government agencies following community consultation, currently in draft form, being consulted on again now ahead of being finalised and implemented. Please note, some actions already underway. See links to the strategy etc in note below)
• Investment in infrastructure upgrades including wastewater, roading and stormwater is underway throughout the city;
• Council is progressing a District Plan Change to facilitate housing at Pukehangi (Plan Change 2, see more HERE);
• Council and NZTA recently received Government funding for roading and stormwater upgrades to support proposed housing at Wharenui;
• Council is collaborating with Tatau Pounamu Collective on an eastside locality plan that will address the future needs and aspirations of communities there (see more about that HERE)
• Long-term infrastructure planning is underway (Infrastructure GM Stavros Michael presented to elected members at 3Sept Operations & Monitoring Committee meeting - see presentation slides HERE);
• Climate Action Plan (this includes infrastructure resilience planning/actions - plan was presented at O&M 3Sept, see more HERE);
• Healthy Homes initiative ongoing (see more about that HERE).Regarding consenting and other processes, there are often assumptions that Council is the cause of delays in housing development but the fact is that there are many reasons. The things that impact on development are complex and each case is different, with its own unique challenges and issues to overcome and work through.Note to reporter: We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the housing strategy, currently out for feedback, which outlines all the proposed actions, including council actions. See, for instance, the council actions referred to on p28 re thriving communities; pages 30-31 re locality plans; pages 32 and 33 re healthy homes; p34 re infrastructure. See more about the housing strategy kaupapa HERE where you will also find the link to the draft strategy HERE] From Mayor Steve Chadwick:We have had a discussion with government leads about a better all-of-government response in Rotorua. There is a willingness to achieve a more collaborative response to local issues and all are currently working on that with urgency.Regarding the social issues around emergency housing locations, we are all concerned about the experiences people are highlighting and my expectation is that safety is a priority.This situation highlighted for me the need for a better way to coordinate all-of-government responses to Rotorua issues so we can achieve better outcomes for our community through collective effort. Council is helping to pull that together.Rotorua should not be seen as the answer to other centre's homelessness problems. We remain focussed on local issues including the need for more housing, which is being addressed, in partnership, through our housing strategy.

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Media: Local Democracy Reporter

Topic: Hemo sculpture installation

Enquiry

Can you please also clarify how it's going to be transferred? I've just found out it won't be transferred by Beck Helicopters - so how is it going to be moved and installed now, and how will that affect the cost?

Response

From Operations Manager Jocelyn Mikaere:

The transportation method hasn't changed. The sculpture will still be transported using a helicopter. A different company Kahu NZ has been engaged to carry out the transport part of the install. The change was to ensure the helicopter could comfortably manage the size and shape of the sculpture.

Once the sculpture gets to the carpark at Te Puia, the helicopter will set it down and a crane will lower it into place within the roundabout.

Kilwell Fibretube is responsible for the installation of Te Ahi Tupua including costs.

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Media: Stuff

Topic: Hemo sculpture installation

Enquiry

Just wanted to check in on whether any date has been set for the Hemo Gorge sculpture to be put in place?

Response

Plans are underway to install the sculpture within the next fortnight with the earliest dates being Saturday 12 or Sunday 13 September. Weather and logistics permitting.

A public notice is being finalised and will have a bit more information about traffic management and the install process.