David Russell - Economic Sense

Prevention is better than cure; a wise old adage that couldn’t be more pertinent to the current need to spend tens of millions of dollars every year modifying New Zealand homes so people can continue to live in them, no matter what stage of life they are at.

The prevention lies in adopting the Lifemark standard for new housing stock, ensuring that all homes are built to cater for people of all ages and needs from the start and for their lifetime.

We know that the economic advantages of adopting this preventative measure are significant. Indeed, from a Government perspective, Lifemark has the potential to deliver major savings considering ACC and the Ministry of Health together spent more than $33 million on housing modifications in the past year alone.

Yet, if 67% of new homes were constructed using the Lifemark standards, the disability housing sector alone would save up to $60 million – as evidenced in the Ministry of Social Development’s report, Economic Effects of Utilising Lifemark at a National Level.

We must also consider the huge, and as yet unmeasured, costs involved for individuals, people spending privately on modifying their homes so they or their loved ones can remain in their own environment for as long as possible.

However, the impact of creating an accessible housing stock in New Zealand extends beyond the economy. At a time when we are so driven by efficient resource use and minimising environmental impact, adopting Lifemark as a national standard is simply commonsense.

What’s more, considering the sorry state of our existing housing stock, it would be environmentally smart to develop a more cost-effective ‘retrofit product’.

Socially, the lack of accessible housing in New Zealand is already having an impact, which will only increase as our population ages.

This is reflected in research undertaken by Kay Saville-Smith, sociologist and director at the Centre for Research Evaluation and Social Assessment (CRESA), whose work reveals the devastation individuals and families suffer when they are uprooted from their homes because they no longer fit their needs. Their neighborhood networks, their support structures and community connections simply vanish.

And, while we haven’t yet analysed these social costs, it is logical to see that eventually they feed back into the Government coffers, with the resulting personal loss and destabilisation placing demands on social welfare funding.

In view of this broader picture of the economic, social and environmental impacts of our housing, we are thrilled at the growing level of support and awareness within Government for Lifemark. We look forward to an increasing level of collaboration in order to achieve prevention, rather than cure, when it comes to spending.

The Lifemark seal of approval gives you confidence that your home meets your needs today and tomorrow.



http://www.lifemark.co.nz/ 

http://www.lifetimedesign.org.nz/

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