People Against Prisons Aotearoa

Abolitionist Demand 8: Apply the funds saved by defunding the New Zealand Police to state housing and accessible housing for the homeless and previously incarcerated.

This is a part of No Pride in Prisons’ Abolitionist demands. These demands were originally published as a book. To see a pdf of the book, click here. To buy a copy, please email info@noprideinprisons.org.nz

As per demand 7, No Pride in Prisons calls for the progressive defunding of the New Zealand Police. In turn, we demand that the funds saved in doing so be put toward the provision of state housing, and especially housing for the homeless and previously incarcerated.

The fifth National government has implemented a systematic attack on the state housing stock since 2011. The Social Housing Reforms in particular, which began to be rolled out in 2013, involve the transfer of the public housing stock to a private social housing market.^[1] The reforms introduced a review process for state housing tenants,^[2] whereas state housing tenants were previously guaranteed houses for life.^[3] This review process has forced those in work to move into the private rental market.^[4] It has also led to the near-destruction of long-standing state housing communities, such as in Glen Innes in East Auckland, through what has been called “state-led gentrification.”^[5]

State housing was originally built for working class whānau, and provided secure tenure for people excluded from the private market.^[6] While no longer retaining its original function, a redistribution of funding away from the New Zealand Police and towards state housing could provide people with the stability, security, and health benefits necessary to build community and reduce housing-related poverty. Building more state houses, which are affordable and have secure tenancy, could help to address New Zealand’s homelessness crisis.^[7] Additionally, more state houses could help to address the exploitative nature of the private housing market, where ever-increasing rents absorb people’s wages and income,^[8] often creating homelessness in the process.^[9]

Research suggests that previously incarcerated people, as well as people facing homelessness and addiction, benefit from having a supportive community and a secure and affordable roof over their heads.^[10] These factors reduce recidivism rates and keep people safe from the punitive anti-homeless policing practices that occur in so many cities.^[11]

In a 2015 study in Australia, it was found that almost 50% of people released from Australian prisons at the beginning of that year were homeless.^[12] While similar studies have not been undertaken in Aotearoa, it is evident that many ex-prisoners face the reality of homelessness upon release, with no access to accommodation or jobs, often having to wait weeks before getting access to support from Work and Income.^[13] While the Department of Corrections provides a supported accommodation programme, this is only available for 13 weeks, and only for those who are considered to have “complex needs.”^[14]

To achieve the goal of building more state housing, No Pride in Prisons echoes the calls of our comrades at the Tāmaki Housing Group for a freeze on the sale and transfer of state housing, a reclaiming of the land sold at a subsidised price to private developers, and a major building project of state housing.^[15] Further, state housing management must be reformed. This must include: 

1.  An end to the anti-social behaviour clause, which allows tenants to be evicted if they or a family member are involved with criminal activity;^[16]
   
2.  An end to the methamphetamine testing industry which makes a profit from testing state homes^[17] despite it being proven that the residues from methamphetamine smoking are similar to cigarette residues in relation to safety;^[18]  
   
3. An end to the policies which prevent pets from staying in your home;^[19]
   
4. An overturning of the Social Housing Reforms’ review process.
   

 No Pride in Prisons is committed to the right of all people to a home. It is fundamental that the state also recognises this right, and ensures that state housing is provided unconditionally to those who need it. We therefore demand that the funding saved by defunding the New Zealand Police be put toward the building and provision of state housing.

^[1] Ministry of Social Development, “Social Housing Reform Programme (SHRP),” Ministry of Social Development, 31 July 2016. http://www.socialhousing.govt.nz/.

^[2] Housing New Zealand, Reviewable Tenancies for Social Housing Tenants, (Wellington: Ministry of Social Development, 2014). http://www.hnzc.co.nz/assets/Uploads/Reviewable-tenancies-for-social-housing-tenants.pdf.

^[3] Simon Collins, “State Housing Shake-up: Lease Up on Idea of ‘House for Life’,” NZ Herald, 5 February 2014. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11196750.

^[4] Isaac Davison, “Some State Housing Tenants to be Moved Out,” NZ Herald, 10 February 2016. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11587519.

^[5] Renee Gordon, “State-led Gentrification and Impacts on Residents and Community in Glen Innes, Auckland,” (Master’s thesis, University of Auckland, 2015). http://librarysearch.auckland.ac.nz/UOA2_A:Combined_Local:uoa_alma21250774470002091.

^[6] Ben Schrader, “Housing and Government – State Loans and State Houses,” Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 13 July 2012. http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/housing-and-government/.

^[7] Maiki Sherman, “Housing NZ Under Fire as Homeless Crisis Surges,” Newshub, 22 June 2016. http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/housing-nz-under-fire-as-homeless-crisis-surges-2016062217#ixzz4GpbbvHbD.  

^[8] Statistics New Zealand, “Household Economic Survey (Income): Year ended June 2015,” Statistics New Zealand, 26 November 2015. http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/people_and_communities/Households/HouseholdEconomicSurvey_HOTPYeJun15/Commentary.aspx.

^[9] Nina Burton, “Rent Boosts Blamed for Rising Homelessness,” Newshub, 15 June 2016. http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/families-left-homeless-by-rising-housing-nz-rents-2016061509#axzz4GgqrRhc4.

^[10] Christopher Moraff, “‘Housing First’ Helps Keep Ex-Inmates Off the Streets (and Out of Prison),” Next City, 23 July 2014. https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/housing-first-former-prisoners-homelessness.

^[11] Ibid.

^[12] Andrew Bevitt et al., Journeys Home Research Report No. 6, (Melbourne: Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, 2015).

^[13] Hannah Martin, “The Complex Paths to Homelessness,” Stuff, 9 July 2016. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/81771216/The-complex-paths-to-homelessness.

^[14] Department of Corrections, “Supported Accommodation,” Department of Corrections, 14 April 2016. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/working_with_offenders/community_sentences/being_on_probation/supported_accommodation.html.

^[15] Online News Team, “Tāmaki Housing Group to Protest Against Housing Regeneration Plan,” Māori Television, 8 May 2015. http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/tamaki-housing-group-protest-against-housing-regeneration-plan.

^[16] Housing New Zealand, Suspending Tenants From Housing New Zealand Houses, (Wellington: New Zealand Government, 2012).

^[17] Garth Bray, “The P properties: Fair Go investigates NZ’s Toxic Homes,” TVNZ, 15 June 2016. https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/p-properties-fair-go-investigates-nzs-toxic-homes.

^[18] Catherine Harris, “Methamphetamine Residues Not the Big Health Worry People Fear,” Stuff, 15 June 2016. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/81102711/meth-residues-not-the-big-health-worry-as-people-fear-scientist-nick-kim.

^[19] Housing New Zealand, “Having a Pet,” Housing New Zealand, 14 May 2016. http://www.hnzc.co.nz/for-our-tenants-and-their-communities/our-tenants/having-a-pet/.