BOB IGNORES SKYROCKETING RENTS

Bloodsucking landlords continue to exploit the aftermath of  the Christchurch earthquake.  Rents have  continued to skyrocket  but Mayor Sideshow Bob has kept his mouth shut and done nothing.

We know that Christchurch is being failed by Sideshow Bob and his council supporters including Sue Wells, Barry  Corbett and Deputy Mayor Ngaire Button.  They have been stooges for the National Government and failed to defend the interests of local people.

While Sideshow Bob is scuffling with protesters in council meetings, the good people of Christchurch are doing it hard.

Christchurch landlords are filling their pockets demanding extortionate rents for, in many cases, sub-standard housing.

Latest figures from Trade Me show that on average rents have increased by 25 per cent in the past year as demand soars by 38 per cent and the number of houses available to rent drops by 21 per cent. An average house now costs approximately $430 a week to rent - up nearly a $100 from the same time last year.

These rents are simply driving more and more people into deeper poverty.

While the Government  dominates the rebuild of the central city, it has left people in the  suburbs vulnerable to the vampires of 'the market'.

The Government has refused to act in the rental market and Sideshow Bob has stayed mute. Decent, affordable housing is a human right, but it is a human right that is apparently of low priority to Sideshow Bob.

It is abundantly clear that 'the market' is failing to provide affordable housing and landlords are being allowed to  simply price-gouge.

For the increasing number of households living in ‘rent poverty’, paying large proportions of their income in rent, forced into overcrowded flats and suffering from financial hardship, something urgently needs to be done

Sideshow Bob should be demanding rent control but he'll continue to betray the people of Christchurch and continue to say absolutely nothing.