David Clark – Dunedin North

Despite more than a decade of generous Government incentives for insulation, there is still rental housing in Dunedin that is cold and damp. Some landlords have been slow to bring rentals up to a modern standard. This is bad for families that live in them, and bad for the taxpayer.  Preventable illness stops people working and it is a drag on our health system.

Fortunately, appetites for tolerating poor housing are dwindling.  A majority of responsible landlords have already insulated; others plan to. And members of landlords associations are getting sick of slum-landlords giving their industry a bad name.

This has bothered me for a long time. During my time on the Otago Community Trust, I pushed for increased support for home insulation schemes.

Last year, Labour announced that when in Government, we will introduce a rule requiring all landlords to meet minimum insulation, heating and ventillation standards. The rule gives landlords five years to get up to scratch. No bureaucracy required. Thereafter, a house that doesn’t meet healthy housing standards will be illegal to rent. Simple.

Now Mayor Cull has indicated enthusiasm for a local bill to address poor housing – along similar lines. Local student bodies are behind the push. It looks like the stars are aligning.

Update: Campbell Live has now broadcast an excellent report on Dunedin housing and the local bill.