Matt Cowley Tauranga City Councillor

I'm convinced the biggest driver of housing un-affordability is people's expectations. We all want more for less. But we all can't have our dream home straight away.

I'm happy to work with government to prove Tauranga does not have a land supply issue. Tauranga has an issue with providing affordable infrastructure to service new developments.

Another key driver of housing un-affordability is personal income. While the city's population has grown, the average household income remains well below the NZ average.

It speaks volumes that developers asked Council to lobby government for better ways to fund new infrastructure.

It's likely Council will enter into a housing accord with government. Housing accords reduce the hurdles for suitable areas to become housing developments.

It sounds cheesy but it's true; my aim is to get the best deal for ratepayers. Opening up more land puts pressure on Council's finances.

I'm not interested in short-term housing affordability solutions, such as 10 year initiatives. I'm interested in genuine affordable housing solutions for future generations.

I personally reassessed my own overhead costs of home ownership in the suburbs. It led me to move into the heart of the Mount where everything I need on the weekends is within walking distance. It fits my stage in life, but it won't suit everyone.

I'm also against encouraging elderly to move into isolated villages on the outskirts of our city. I've thoroughly enjoyed my elderly neighbours. I want them to feel part of my neighbourhood.

I enjoy the banter over the fence. I also enjoy helping them move heavy stuff around their property, including laughing off an occasion when an elderly woman touched my bum.

I also want to protect the region's main money earners; they're the orchardists and livestock farmers that create jobs in the city. Converting productive rural land to housing will not help improve Tauranga's average household incomes.

If we can get the public amenities right, I'm sure we can largely reduce the cost of living in Tauranga by changing our housing expectations (but we shouldn't compromise on warmth and dryness). If we don't want to be like Auckland, we need to start acting differently.

Stupidity is doing the same thing but expecting a different result. We can't expect to improve housing affordability by converting economic land to housing the way we have done previously.

Feel free to email me your thoughts (matt.cowley@tauranga.govt.nz), call/text me on 027 6989 548, and follow me at www.facebook.com/a.younger.voice.