worked with him for several years in a number of community projects. In
the last 9 days I've walked much of Queenspark, Parklands, Waimari Beach.
Then Burwood and North Brighton.
Wainoni and Aranui yesterday and today.
After walking the streets, two things stand out for me.
One, is the determination people who their own homes have, to make the
best of the situation they are in, even if the situation seems to be
"impossible". The asset you have remains an asset, even if it's broken,
and it's value in the eyes of others is doubtful. It's wonderful to see
people in broken homes and damaged streets tending their gardens and
mowing the lawn. (Giving it a blow dry, I suggested to two people. It's
probably dry enough.)
The other is that in streets where there are many vacant homes,
especially in the streets where so many Housing Corporation homes that
are boarded up, the few remaining property owners wonder what's in store
for them. They that the commitment they made to buy their home, now
holds them in a trap they can't escape from.
I fully expect very good things for the area; but they can't happen quickly.
When I tried to start this forum, the idea was to help the people in the
area develop a vision for their own area by talking to each other,
across the fence and in the forums. You have to rebuild the VALUE in
your own area, the City Council can't do that for you. Value is an
intangible thing that is carried in the community mind. Every one of us
decides what the "value" is.
Right now because of uncertainty, any realisable value is low. That
will change.
The area is greatly influenced by the Ocean, and by the river Avon.
Access to water brings you beauty and joy, but proximity to water also
caused liquefaction. Nature gives, and nature takes away.
Nature will give again. The area will become rich and vibrant and
desirable again as a place to live.
A plan to use the gifts of the river and the sea, to remake the area can
be developed. You can contribute to the development of that plan. Some
streets will disappear to be replaced by things we all value as part of
the new redevelopment. Where streets are redeveloped the quality of the
whole area will be enhanced, and property values will recover. But it
will take a few years; it can't happen now.
Care needs to be taken to realistically face the 100 year challenge (The
500 year challenge) facing coastal people the world over. Sea level rise
is real and probably be twice whatever the current estimates are. Still
for most properties there are many years of productive life yet.
However, at some stage, nature will take away again. We have to live
with that knowledge.
This forum remains open for your use.
It's only as useful as you make it. That's exactly the same with your
land values.