Have you heard the joke about the Kapiti Coast District Council? They built a fence around all their Council houses because so many pensioners were dying to get in.
Pensioners on the Kapiti Coast are just dying to get off the waiting list and into council homes. Some of them are literally dying while on the waiting list.
Documents from the district council showed from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019, just 15 pensioners moved into council housing, having waited 817 days on average for that accommodation to become available.
Council figures showed some pensioners on the Kapiti Coast were waiting so long they were dying before being able to move into a suitable unit.
In the past three years, 50 pensioners withdrew from the waiting list.
But only one of those had found alternative accommodation; the other 49 either moved from the area or died.
A Kapiti Coast District Council spokesperson said the waiting list reflected a growing need in the community, but the responsibility fell to central government to address it.
“The provision of social and affordable housing is a central government responsibility and this council continues to advocate on behalf of the Kapiti Coast community for better housing outcomes and increased rental subsidies.
[…] There are 118 council houses for pensioners on the Kapiti Coast.
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