Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive •iHeart
Heather du Plessis-Allan: I don’t think they are being judgemental. I think they’re being realistic - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive
Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive
I’ve always felt a little uncomfortable about NIMBYism, but not in the case of the controversial Kainga Ora development being built in New Plymouth.
I reckon locals have very good reason to oppose it and should continue to oppose it and should definitely insist that it's not in my backyard.
This is a 45-unit public housing complex being built in the centre of the city made up of one- and two-bedroom units which are going to be run by Kainga Ora aka Housing NZ.
Neighbours are divided on it. There are those who don’t want it. They’re worried about what it'll do to property prices in an area where some of them are selling for more than 1 million dollars. And they’re worried about the security of their neighbouring businesses – like the local motorcycle centre owner said – ‘if they put the wrong people in there’.
But then there are those who think it’ll be great for those without homes to have somewhere to live and who accuse the NIMBYs of being judgmental.
I don’t think they are being judgemental. I think they’re being realistic.
Anyone who supports a Kainga Ora/Housing NZ development in their neighbourhood at the moment is being foolish and naive as long as Kainga Ora/Housing NZ continues to run its no evictions policy.
And yes, it seems they still are doing that.
Kainga Ora/Housing NZ and their minister have been telling media they’re prepared to take a harder line on tenants.
But just a week ago the Herald printed a story about yet another neighbour terrorised by the state house tenants. This time in Rotorua.
The family sleep in the lounge together because they’re terrified of the neighbour who has repeatedly threatened to murder them and burn down their house and rape another woman on the street.
They’ve fought with Kainga Ora for a year to take action. Nothing.
This is on Kainga Ora/Housing NZ and the minister who has presumably directed it to run the no evictions policy.
If they're going to shelter people who terrorise their neighbours they are not going to be welcomed by those neighbours. Those neighbours are being wise not to take a chance on a development like that and whoever might end up living in it.
It’s not about being judgmental. It’s about being realistic about what could happen to the neighbourhood under a no evictions policy.
I reckon locals have very good reason to oppose it and should continue to oppose it and should definitely insist that it's not in my backyard.
This is a 45-unit public housing complex being built in the centre of the city made up of one- and two-bedroom units which are going to be run by Kainga Ora aka Housing NZ.
Neighbours are divided on it. There are those who don’t want it. They’re worried about what it'll do to property prices in an area where some of them are selling for more than 1 million dollars. And they’re worried about the security of their neighbouring businesses – like the local motorcycle centre owner said – ‘if they put the wrong people in there’.
But then there are those who think it’ll be great for those without homes to have somewhere to live and who accuse the NIMBYs of being judgmental.
I don’t think they are being judgemental. I think they’re being realistic.
Anyone who supports a Kainga Ora/Housing NZ development in their neighbourhood at the moment is being foolish and naive as long as Kainga Ora/Housing NZ continues to run its no evictions policy.
And yes, it seems they still are doing that.
Kainga Ora/Housing NZ and their minister have been telling media they’re prepared to take a harder line on tenants.
But just a week ago the Herald printed a story about yet another neighbour terrorised by the state house tenants. This time in Rotorua.
The family sleep in the lounge together because they’re terrified of the neighbour who has repeatedly threatened to murder them and burn down their house and rape another woman on the street.
They’ve fought with Kainga Ora for a year to take action. Nothing.
This is on Kainga Ora/Housing NZ and the minister who has presumably directed it to run the no evictions policy.
If they're going to shelter people who terrorise their neighbours they are not going to be welcomed by those neighbours. Those neighbours are being wise not to take a chance on a development like that and whoever might end up living in it.
It’s not about being judgmental. It’s about being realistic about what could happen to the neighbourhood under a no evictions policy.
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