Official Information Request - Stock take of Council Housing 2022

Sent: Wednesday, 25 January 2023 5:00 pm
Subject: Information request - Stock take of Council Housing 2022

I refer to your information request of 16 January 2023 regarding Council housing. Your request was processed under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.

Below is the information requested as per your correspondence:

Housing Section

1. Rotorua Lakes Council housing stock (number of complexes and number of units owned)

• 152 housing units

2. Rotorua Lakes Council housing stock typology/configuration (number of bedrooms)

• These units are of brick construction with colour Steel roofing
• A large number of Council’s units are bedsits with the remainder being one-bedroom units. Bedrooms to fit either a single or double bed.

3. Approximate age of units

• 15 units in Ngongotahā constructed in mid-1970’s through to early 1980’s
• 9 units in Westbrook constructed in mid to late 1980’s
• 66 units at Lucas Place in Fenton Park constructed in mid-1960’s to mid-1970’s
• 62 units at Rawhiti complex in Glenholme - 32 units constructed in late 1950’s (50+ years old) and 30 units constructed in mid to late 2000’s

4. Condition of units (e.g., percentage meeting healthy homes criteria, any recent or planned major refurbishments)

• Council has an ongoing refurbishment project underway that commenced in 2021 to upgrade all council housing stock to provide double glazing, new carpets and insulate walls in all units.
• All occupied units meet the current healthy homes standard.

5. Accessibility of units (e.g., do they have accessibility features for elderly / disabled tenants like step free access, wider doorways etc. Do any units meet universal design standards)

• The 30 units at Rawhiti built in the mid to late 2000’s were constructed with accessibility features; the older units do not have these same features.

6. Ownership and/or management of housing (with CHPs or Māori/iwi/hapū housing)

a. If working in partnership - what is your role?

• N/A – totally Council owned and managed

Policy Section

7. Summary of rent policy, how are you calculating rent (is the rent set based on market rent or something else, is your rent policy being implemented or are there other considerations like affordability)

• $86.85 - $162.72 rent range across five locations either single or double
• Refer to the attached Pensioner Housing Policy

Tenants Section

8. Tenant profile (demographic of tenants: age, ethnicity, income range, gender)

• Senior housing

9. What category do tenants fall under (Pensioner, benefit, working, family)

• Pensioner

10. If families, what do they look like (number of children, solo parents)

• Not applicable

11. How are tenants selected

• Be a New Zealand citizen or hold New Zealand Permanent Residency
• Be 60 years of age or older and reliant on a benefit, or
• Be 55 years and over and reliant on a sickness benefit
• Be retired from full time work
• Have assets of less than $25,000 for a single applicant and $45,000 for a couple; this includes the value of any major asset sold within 5 years of applying
• Have an income of less than $25,000 for a single applicant and $45,000 for a couple
• Be in need of long-term accommodation
• Capable of living independently

12. What services are being provided to tenants

• Facilities services to maintain the exterior of the units including lawn mowing, and repair to interior building fittings such as plumbing, electrical and carpentry.

Finance Section (Optional Questions)

13. How is CH funded (how much rate funding, how much borrowing)

• Operating cost is 95-100% user funded (collection of rents) with an allowance of up to 5% being rate funded. Any capex requirement is funded by debt.
• Refer to page 118/119 of the Rotorua Lakes Council 2021-2031 Long-term Plan HERE.

14. Are you operating at a surplus or deficit

• Council budgets revenue and expense to break even over the long term.

15. Cost of maintenance of stock

• Council budgets $122k per year for repairs and maintenance.

Future Plans Section

16. How do you see your housing role, and what strategic plans you have in relation to housing

• Nothing is set beyond existing policy. Strategic plans will be considered during preparation of the next Long-term Plan.

17. Future plans councils have for stock

• As above

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. The Ombudsman’s Office can be contacted by calling 0800 802 602, emailing info@ombudsman.parliament.nz, online at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz, or by post to The Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.

Publication of responses to LGOIMA requests

Please note: Our LGOIMA responses may be published on the Rotorua Lakes Council website after they have been responded to, with requesters’ personal details withheld. If you have any concerns about this please contact the Council on info@rotorualc.nz.

Regards