Re this article: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11981063
It’s the land stupid that’s worth the money! Also not sure what the NZHerald reporter was gunning for with tenant saying its bullsh*t – probably just headline grabbing. Here’s my thinking:
Tenant has clearly said if it was his choice he wouldn’t live there. Good, after 37 years its time to embrace change so a move out is in order, or if that is a problem, temporarily move him and move him back once a new small home is built.
Then redevelop the section into more state houses. If the section next door is HNZ (there were a few on Hapua) then combine them and develop more state houses. Make it tenure neutral – but doesn’t need to be extravagant, just don’t completely disregard the neighbors.
Then, and here’s the big point: select new HNZ tenants based not on the parents issues that caused them to need a state house in the first place, not on their place in the queue BUT on their kids potential to excel in a new environment where most people around them are not in a gang. Kids will go to very middle class Victoria Ave School and Auckland Grammar or Epsom Girls as of right, rather than say – because of rugby.
Let’s turn say one or two state houses into say 6 to 8 terrace houses, hey even sell a couple to help fund it. That means you could end up with 2 or 3 John Keys and 2 or 3 Jacindas in the making.
Now HNZ will already know exactly what to do on this site and probably plans drawn up, possibly pending a board approval – but I say just do it. Move the bulldozer in now!
If its good enough for Meadowbank then its good enough for Hapua. Mixed tenure at its best should not leave so called exclusive neighborhoods alone.
Disclaimer: I used to work at HNZ and I live very close! YIMBY
Cheers
Andrew Crosby
