Is it the real positive for Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty that the Government would have us believe?

Or is it a 'kick in the guts for the city's homeless” as the opposition suggests.

A totoal of 1124 state houses in Tauranga are set to be sold-off. File photo.

Two very different perspectives on news today that IHC subsidiary, Accessible Properties, is the preferred bidder in the sell-off of more 1124 state houses in Tauranga.

'The prime object is to encourage and develop more diverse ownership of social housing, resulting in more innovation and responsiveness to the needs of tenants and communities,” says Tauranga MP Simon Bridges.

Not the way the opposition sees it.

'Untenable and immoral when the country is in a grip of a housing crisis,” replies Labour's Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford.

'How does changing ownership of these houses help desperate Tauranga families who cannot find an affordable rental? How does it help the people living in garages and campgrounds?”

Phil suggests the Government pulls the plug on the sell-off and commit to a massive house building programme.

Simon says the Government wants social housing services to become better linked with other support that tenants may need, such as budgeting and health services.

'They will be of real benefit in terms of offering additional support for those with social housing and other needs in Tauranga.”

The MP says Accessible Properties has been managing housing for vulnerable people for 60 years.

Houses in the sell-off will be required to remain in use as social houses and can't be sold with Government approval. Tenants have been reassured they will continue to be housed for the duration of their need.

Phil Twyford says it's just National pursuing its ideological agenda to take the state out of state housing.

'Labour would stop the sell-off, run Housing NZ as a public service dedicated to one job – putting a decent roof over families in need. Instead of selling off, Labour would will launch a major building programme and increase the total number of state houses by at least 1000 a year.”

Accessible Properties has been invited to start purchase negotiations and could become the landlord in the first half of next year.