Tenant advocate: Can’t solve a housing crisis by creating more homelessness

Abstract

Low-income tenants in council housing worry they will become homeless without access to a rental subsidy, and say the cost of emergency housing could be 11 times more expensive.

The income-related rental subsidy (IRRS) ensures tenants in social housing pay affordable rents by setting them at 25 per cent of income, with the Government topping up the rest.

The subsidy is available to tenants with Kāinga Ora, and new social housing tenants with community housing providers (CHPs).

It is not, however, available to tenants in council housing.