Stadium focus has contributed to housing issue

THE headline reads ‘‘Dunedin: More land needed. Housing shortage looming.’’ (ODT, 11.2.19.)

Have the council’s chickens come home to roost? During the last nine years or so, we have seen multimillions of dollars of ratepayer funds, and the nearbreaking financially of two councilowned companies, Aurora and Delta, diverted to the building, and propping up of New Zealand’s only covered stadium.

All at the expense of a lack of funds to maintain, and increase, the city’s infrastructure, thus causing the housing shortage that the city now faces.

If one cares to read the report on the urban land supply in the council’s second generation plan, it becomes very obvious that infrastructure in the city and suburbs has been totally neglected at the expense of propping up the stadium with the results of Mosgiel being unable to expand its residential zone, and South Dunedin living in fear of flooding with every heavy rainfall. Brian Miller

Mosgiel

WE have all known for some years that there is an increasing shortage of housing in Dunedin. Look at the increasing number of people on waiting lists, the difficulty that people have in finding affordable housing and the increasing number of people who are homeless.

Mayor Cull says the housing shortage is looming. It isn’t looming — it’s loomed! J. Park

Wakari