PHOTO: Labour Leader and Mt Albert candidate Jacinda Ardern has promised that her party will expand the Healthy Homes intiative to all of New Zealand if elected.
Healthy Homes sets out specific minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture, drainage and draught stopping in rental properties.
These factors have been identified as contributing the New Zealand’s cases of rheumatic fever – 160, on average, per year – and rates are much higher among Pacific and Māori populations.
The expansion would also be accompanied by the strengthening of compliance and enforcement efforts by Tenancy Services for property owners who fail to comply.
Healthy Homes is already in place across nine New Zealand DHB areas – those with the highest rates of rheumatic fever – and Ardern said her party would expand it to the remaining nine DHBs.
That expansion would cost $39 million over four years, with the money spent on supporting the purchase of curtains, floor coverings, heater, beds , bedding, mould kits and minor housing repairs.
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