A waiting list but no demand

I write in response to the recent stories on housing in Porirua (November 11).

There is a housing crisis in Porirua, not just Wellington.

Housing New Zealand says it is not rebuilding because of low demand in the area.

Such statements are designed to justify fobbing off its housing obligations to other providers.

Remember there was a reason why state housing in New Zealand began in the the first place.

By not rebuilding, you force people to leave the area, affecting vibrancy, and thereby causing low demand.

If Housing New Zealand builds houses in Wellington, then people will relocate there.

In a housing crisis you do not reduce the number of houses, you increase them and immediately replace the ones that have been demolished for safety reasons, as in Castor Cres.

If Housing New Zealand is so confident there are enough homes in Porirua for those in need, why is there a waiting list?

Housing New Zealand needs to keep its promises and rebuild confidence in its operations, the more so now with some alternative housing providers adopting questionable means to ‘‘address’’ tenants’ concerns (refer Kapi-Mana News, October 7).

Housing New Zealand has remained unresponsive to the community’s housing concerns, no matter how publicly they are expressed.

Is it to avoid further broken promises, or is it simply not a priority for the organisation any more?

I ask again: how can there be a low demand for housing in this area when there is a housing crisis and a longstanding priority waiting list?