12 August 2022
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: 2022 Pre-Election Report
Enquiry
As you'll know, the statistics and picture painted of Rotorua in the pre-election report is pretty grim.
Particularly -
- An increase in anti-social and criminal behaviour, affecting residents and visitors’ experiences in Rotorua.
Out of 67 local council’s we share the 66th position with Napier for crime.
- Measures of wellbeing for Rotorua indicate a worsening state compared to other regions in New Zealand. These measures include home and rental affordability, crime, income and secondary school retention. Our overall deprivation rating is 8 where 10 is the worst and our social issues disproportionately affect our children, young people and Māori
- 27% of Rotorua households are considered to be in the top ten percent of vulnerable households in New Zealand and 78% are performing below the national average
- Ngāpuna, Whakarewarewa, Fenton Park, Glenholme West, Kuirau, Koutū and Western Heights are amongst the most deprived communities in New Zealand.
- Rotorua Māori are on average significantly more deprived than Pākehā and other ethnicities. 34.08% of working age Māori are unemployed, 40.99% of Māori do not own their own home, and 18.37% of households do not have access to the internet. In terms of housing, the quality of housing for Māori ranks 56th out of 67 territorial authorities due to damp and mould and crowding in our dwellings is ranked 59th out of 67 territorial authorities in New Zealand.
In the report it also states:
"Rotorua and its people have been extremely prosperous in the past. However, over the last seven years in particular, an increasing trend of socio-economic deprivation in Rotorua has emerged that is adversely affecting our people, the visitor experience, and the ability to function as a thriving destination to live, work, play and invest."
As you know you have been the mayor of Rotorua for the last nine years, much of this seven year period.
Why do you believe Rotorua is in such a dire state? How do those statistics make you feel?
Do you take responsibility for any of it? If so, why? If not, who or what should and why?
How much do you believe the Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to this, given the seven year time period?
What do you think needs to be done to address these poor statistics?
Also just checking this line (pg 7)
In terms of housing, the quality of housing for Māori ranks 56th out of 67 territorial authorities due to damp and mould and crowding in our dwellings is ranked 59th out of 67 territorial authorities in New Zealand.
It's a little confusing. Is it saying
Quality of housing for Māori = 56/67
Damp, mould and crowding in Rotorua dwellings overall = 59/67?
Here's a link to the pdf version if you need, it's a little easier to read https://adobeindd.com/view/publications/f425f024-4679-4e72-a43c-514c60a1c482/4zba/publication-web-resources/pdf/Pre_Election_Report_version_IV_2022_-_A4_booklet.pdf
Comments for right of reply are also below, provided for the mayor and the council organisation, where applicable.
Please advise if there are any inaccuracies in the below also (for eg: I believe most of these did not eventuate due to a failure by the council to provide suitable infrastructure. )
Can I please also ask, as Trevor raised it in his comment:
- How much have rates risen by (percentage) since 2013?
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COMMENTS
Restore Rotorua spokesman Trevor Newbrook:
Wow, this is a scary and damning report.
It talks about a significant lack of housing which I believe is due to the lack of good residential building sites. A colleague and I raised concerns about this with The Mayor and RDC CE in 2016. The Mayor campaigned on more sections in 2016 and was reported revealing where 1,000 sections could become available. I believe most of these did not eventuate due to a failure by the council to provide suitable infrastructure.
The crime and anti-social behaviour in Rotorua has reached an unacceptable level. Rotorua Police need far more resources to be able to manage what is a growing problem. The Minister of Police and Police Commissioner need to be lobbied to come here and put forward a plan to reduce crime.
The report talks about the impact on the more vulnerable members of the community But we have all been made vulnerable, especially those living or working in Glenholme, Fenton Park, Victoria and the CBD. There seems to have been no thought or concern about local people around the emergency housing policy.
In the report it says rent in Rotorua has increased by 30% since 2013. How much have RDC rates increased over the same period and what part has that played in increased rents.
The Rotorua Housing Register has 1,00o households on it. We do not know if any of these are people living in emergency housing motels or if any new Kainga Ora homes will go to people living in emergency housing motels.
There does not seem to be a plan by MHUD or Kainga Ora or RDC to resolve the problem. There needs to be a plan, that the Ministers and Mayor are updated weekly on progress.
The government needs to stop bringing people who need emergency housing to Rotorua. They need to set a cap on emergency housing and introduce a sinking lid policy. The whole government policy around emergency housing needs to be reviewed to ensure the system is being played.
There seems to be a reliance on Kainga Ora to build a way out of this mess. Their track record is not so good. They are buying up land but we need to see more building action now - more urgency and results. The Boulevard Motel was bought by the government and granted a Resource Consent in secret by RDC to use it as transitional housing and here we are over a year later and it is still not operating. No urgency or accountability here.
We need a new Mayor and Council who can look at alternatives and lobby for them. Kainga Ora buying more existing homes in Rotorua or the towns where many of the people have come from. Finding a way for people to be able to "rent to buy". Using and funding community housing providers to supply homes. Working with local Iwi.
Emergency Housing in motels must be the biggest issue facing Rotorua and a new Mayor and Councillors. We need a real plan not just talk.
Response
Response from Mayor Chadwick:
We were aware of the social issues emerging in Rotorua prior to Covid-19 and the pandemic has exacerbated these. I am well aware of the hit our district has suffered over the last two years and this is why we are focusing on our priority areas – housing, and community safety and wellbeing.
The statistics reinforce the story we have been repeatedly telling, and we have gained the attention of Government.
The challenges facing our community won’t disappear with a new Council. We need leadership to carry on with our plan, to keep focusing on these priority areas, and to keep working with our partners to build our way out of this situation and achieve better outcomes for the people living in Rotorua.
Re ‘Out of 67 local council’s we share the 66th position with Napier for crime. [comms team: can you please let me know the source of data for that line?]’ – This was sourced from Dot Loves Data on 12 July 2022 and reflects a point in time. Data from this source is updated monthly.
Re ‘In terms of housing, the quality of housing for Māori ranks 56th out of 67 territorial authorities due to damp and mould and crowding in our dwellings is ranked 59th out of 67 territorial authorities in New Zealand.’ – This is saying ‘In terms of housing, the quality of housing for Māori ranks 56th out of 67 territorial authorities due to damp and mould. And crowding in our dwellings is ranked 59th out of 67 territorial authorities in New Zealand.’ Sorry there should have been a comma or full-stop in there.
Right of reply response:
From DCE District Development, Jean-Paul Gaston:
With regards to Mr Newbrook’s comment about a lack of housing and suitable infrastructure, please see summary of development and infrastructure projects below:
- Wharenui rise (1,000+ sections) – supported by $55m CIP funding ($35m for Te Ngae RD, $15m stormwater and $5m local roading) – stages 1-3 consented with stage 1 being built on currently
- Plan change for Pukehangi (800+ sections), partnership underway – support through IAF $85m).
- DIA funding for stormwater detention in Linton Park ($7m). So, development is underway Eastside and Pukehangi, moving forward over next 2-5 years.
- Infrastructure improvements underway supported by $147m of Government funding over next 7 years. (3,000 home target)
Consented residential lots for the year ended June 2022 was 380 (last year 183).
With regards to the comment around lack of thought or concern about local people around the emergency housing policy, this is not correct. Community safety funding has been added into our Annual Plan. The Emergency Housing (EH) taskforce is seeking dedicated contracted motels for families with support services (to be consented), and Council has taken regulatory action on motels/accommodation providers in the EH space.
With regards to the comment around rates increase correlating to rental increases in Rotorua, the average rates increase between 2018 to 2023 is 5.5% (Previous years are not provided). This is across all categories of rating units i.e. Farming, Business, Residential and Rural Residential.
While rates may contribute to the increase in rental costs, many other factors will contribute to this such as supply and demand, inflation, mortgage interest rates etc.
It would be impossible to measure the effect rates have had on rental properties as these would vary property to property as well as other economic factors contributing to that property expenditure (paid off property, interest rates, varying banks, property value at purchase etc.)
Mr Newbrook mentioned that “The Rotorua Housing Register has 1,000 households on it. We do not know if any of these are people living in emergency housing motels or if any new Kāinga Ora homes will go to people living in emergency housing motels”. Presentations from the Kāinga Ora Regional Manager highlighted that 550 households on the housing register are in non-EH accommodation in Rotorua.
Mr Newbrook mentioned the reliance on Kāinga Ora to “build their way out of this.” This statement is incorrect. Rotorua has a shortage of all types and sizes of homes. Our focus has been on ensuring sufficient land is zoned, more supportive planning and consenting rules are in place and that adequate infrastructure can be supplied to enable development of all types. Council has a homes and thriving communities strategy in place, with 5 key work streams:
- Plan our way forward
- Build our way forward
- Funding and infrastructure
- Thriving communities
- Emergency housing responses
(See below – Housing Plan Priority Actions – 5 Key Work streams)
You can find a link to the Housing Information Series Session 1, where the strategy was presented on here.
Kāinga Ora is acquiring and building homes across the country – not just in Rotorua. There is a recognised under supply of public homes in Rotorua when compared to the national average. This supply deficit needs to be addressed. We are working with iwi and community housing providers to build more homes. Council has undertaken significant work in building support with the development community as well, to build a mix of homes in varying sizes so Rotorua has housing for everyone.
For your information, Council will have the more permissive medium density residential standards in place across the city with immediate legal effect from the 20 August. Council also received $85m to fast track storm water infrastructure development over the next 7 years to enable 3,000+ homes to be built.