ICC considers more investment in housing for the elderly
The Invercargill City Council wants feedback to its plan to accelerate the building of new and upgraded housing for the elderly.
The council owns 216 rental units in Invercargill and Bluff.
At present, all the maintenance of this ageing stock is funded from rentals.
The council proposes to provide $8.1 million from general rates over eight years, adding 0.8% to rates in the coming financial year to speed the renewal process.
Cr Trish Boyle said it had become more difficult for new residents, families and the elderly to find warm, dry and affordable homes.
The council’s plan would also take pressure off other housing availability, she said.
Other council initiatives proposed in its 10-year-plan, currently open for public feedback, include updating the district plan to promote better designed housing and allow increased density in some areas.
The council also intend to investigate opportunities to ‘’make the best use of council land, some of which may be suitable for housing development’’.
Mayor Nobby Clark has been advocating that the council sell 37 hectares, essentially the farmland component, of the 79-hectare multi-use Donovan Park.
Council strategy, policy and engagement manager Rhiannon Suter said feedback on the housing plan could be made at the same time as any of the other proposals set out in the draft long-term (10-year) plan.
More information was available through the council’s letstalk.icc.govt.nz website, or people could pick up copies of the consultation document from Te Hīnaki Civic Building in Esk St, the Invercargill Public Library, Windsor New World, Bluff Service Centre, Splash Palace and Murihiku Marae.
A series of in-person engagement sessions was also being held.