Housing Reserve Fund changes Summary

5 comments for Housing Reserve Fund changes.

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Summary of Resident Feedback on Housing Reserve Fund Changes

Overview

The Nelson City Council received several written submissions from residents concerning the proposed changes to the Housing Reserve Fund. The feedback primarily supports the expansion of the fund's purpose but emphasizes the need to maintain a balance between new initiatives and ongoing commitments to social and affordable housing.

Key Themes and Recommendations

  1. Support for Increased Housing Options
  2. Residents expressed a strong desire for more affordable and social housing solutions, with suggestions for higher-density housing developments.

  3. The concept of providing tiny houses for the homeless, along with necessary support services, was proposed as a viable accommodation solution.

  4. Endorsement of Fund Purpose Broadening

  5. There is general support for broadening the criteria of the Housing Reserve Fund to allow for more diverse applications, including projects that address the needs of the most vulnerable and high-need residents.

  6. The Nelson Youth Council specifically supports the broadening of the fund's purpose to include initiatives aimed at combating homelessness, such as the establishment of a night shelter in the CBD.

  7. Concerns Over Fund Allocation

  8. While there is support for broadening the fund's purpose, there is a significant concern regarding the potential reallocation of funds away from existing commitments to social and affordable housing.

  9. The Nelson Youth Council emphasized that any broadening should not diminish the investment in current successful housing projects certified by the Community Housing Regulatory Authority.

  10. Integration with Urban Greening Plan

  11. One submission highlighted the importance of aligning new applications to the fund with the Nelson City Council’s Urban Greening Plan 2022, which focuses on expanding urban green spaces and enhancing environmental sustainability.

  12. Need for Continued Investment and Consultation

  13. The submissions underscore the necessity of continued investment in both social and affordable housing, alongside new initiatives to address homelessness.
  14. Further consultation with the community was recommended to ensure that the council achieves the right balance in fund allocation and project support.

Conclusion

The feedback from residents indicates a strong community backing for both the expansion of the Housing Reserve Fund’s scope and the continued support for social and affordable housing initiatives. The council is advised to proceed with the broadening of the fund’s purpose, ensuring that it does not detract from existing housing commitments. Integrating new projects with broader urban sustainability goals and continuing to engage with the community are essential steps to ensure the fund’s effective and equitable use.

Comment Point ID
Comment: more affordable housing and social housing, higher density. 278.10
Comment: Mens Night Shelter I agree that this should be provided by Council. 878.5
Comment: Find suitable accommodation for homeless folk ie tiny houses concept in an area where they can live with wrap around services    913.9
Comment: Refer to 10 page submission for further information - key points re housing reserve fund below: I support the Council’s proposal to broaden criteria for use of this fund, to enable NCC to support and work with partners to develop and provide accommodation for our vulnerable and highest need residents. New applications to the fund should also be required to align with the NCC’s Urban Greening Plan 2022, which aims to “expand our urban canopy, bringing more CO2 absorbing plants and trees into our City Centre while reducing air and noise pollution, supporting biodiversity and food resiliency”. 1059.5
Comment: Housing Reserve Fund Changes The Nelson Youth Council supports the broadening of the purpose of the Housing Reserve Fund to enable it to be used to provide vulnerable housing support, contingent on a level of continued investment into social and affordable housing by Nelson City Council. Continued Investment into Social and Affordable Housing We believe that the community gave Council the mandate to divest its portfolio to Kāinga Ora conditional on NCC's continued investment and commitment to social and affordable housing in the area through the Reserve Fund. Given this, we think it would be inappropriate for Council to use the broadening of the Fund's purpose as a means to shift investment away from the existing recipients of the Fund. We believe this because rangatahi stand to gain a lot from an affordable housing market. Additionally, we know that the criteria for successful application to the Fund and the required certification provided by the Community Housing Regulatory Authority have meant that Council's investment has been put into sound, beneficial developments. Support for the Broadening of the Fund's Purpose With that said, we also understand that homelessness is a grave issue that Council is obliged to address. We see homelessness as a crucial problem that Council has a principle imperative to confront. Particularly to our constituency of local rangatahi, we know the harm that homelessness causes to families and young people. We would like to see further action taken by Council to combat homelessness, and so we can broadly support the broadening of this fund's purpose as long as council does not remove too much of the investment that is currently given to successful applicants of the fund who provide social and affordable housing and are certified by the Community Housing Regulatory Authority. Potential Applications of the Fund's Broadened Purpose While the Youth Council supports any action to combat homelessness that has the broad support of the community, we specifically offer our support to the example floated of a night shelter in the CBD. We think that there is an urgent need for a facility like this, and we would be pleased to see this option pursued. In conclusion, Youth Council understands that the Reserve Fund is finite. We understand that any investment into combatting homelessness necessarily takes some money away from social and affordable housing. Given this, and the urgent need for action on homelessness, we would like to see Council get the right balance of providing vulnerable housing support and providing social and affordable housing. Further consultation along this process will help to make sure that Council gets it right, but for now we are supportive of the broadening of the Fund's purpose. 1147.8