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January, 2023 Queenstowns rental housing issues are now verging on acatastrophe. Hundreds of employees are frantically seeking any form of secure, affordable, long-term accommodation. Anyone advertising a room, or, on the rare occasion, a house to rent, is inundated with inquiries within minutes. Those who miss out are becoming increasingly desperate, with several people now understood to be reduced to living in their cars, or pitching tents. Mountain Scenes receiving disturbing accounts from Queenstowners both New Zealand residents and migrants with employment, who are at their wits end. Theyre calling for any kind of solution to alleviate the pressure, and their stress, including turning 12 Mile Delta into a tent city, where workers could camp while a longer-term solution is found. Its not a new story rental housing issues have made headlines in Queenstown for almost 50 years. More recently though, the issue reared its ugly head again in 2021, when Scene reported waitlists for viewings of rental pads were becoming the norm, and it was taking about a month to find a place to call home. The issue is being exacerbated by property owners choosing to switch from the long-term rental market back into Airbnb, for example, now tourists have returned. Also in play are healthy homes regulations, and the Residential Tenancies Act. Yet little, if any, action has yet been taken. In a community full of innovators and collaborators one in which every sector is being adversely affected a meeting of the minds is now long overdue. In response to Scene inquiries, there appears to be an appetite for a solutions-focused summit between those who have the ideas and ability to help. Queenstown mayor Glyn Lewers says the councils doing everything within its power to find solutions, but has legislative limits. While he expects the action plan part of the Queenstown Lakes Homes and Strategy Action Plan to be in front of councillors in the first half of this year, it could be argued thats too late. Legislative limits: Queenstown mayor Glyn Lewers Lewers says there needs to be significant infrastructure work done first, to create quality places to build homes, and councils working with Kinga Ora and Waka Kotahi on that. Queenstowns council signalled last month it was looking at partnering with agencies to investigate ways it could help, particularly regarding worker digs. He says theyre working with Ministry of Social Development, looking at the accommodation supplement, and are trying to explain Queenstowns unique situation to central government. Our man in Wellington, Southland MP Joseph Mooney, agrees a round-table discussion on housings needed. Conversation must happen: Southland MP Joseph Mooney While he wont profess to come up with solutions immediately, the conversation must happen. Its not just going to be a central government thing, its not just going to be a local government thing. Its not just going to be developer-agency, but its probably some combined thinking to & find some solutions. Mooney notes its a long-term challenge, but for Queenstown businesses to work, people need places to live. Source: Mountain Scene
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