Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora
“When they showed me the house I was crying. I felt like I was living in a dream and that I’d won Lotto. I moved in here on December 17 just in time for Christmas,” she says.
Cece and her dog Ray Charles are now happily settled into their new home, which Cece has tastefully furnished with community donations and colourful op shop finds. Even the garden is sprinkled with bright ornaments.
“When I moved in here, I only had two plates and Ray [the dog]. I’m so thankful for all the donations of furniture I’ve received,” she says.
In 2011, Cece was walking across a pedestrian crossing on her way to work one morning when she was hit by a car and broke her hip. After having a hip replacement, she now lives with chronic back pain and uses a mobility scooter to get around when she’s not at home.
Cece and Ray Charles
When Cece had to move out of a private rental home three years ago, she struggled to find another suitable place to live. Emergency housing was the only option until she was matched to her new Kāinga Ora home.
Cece says her new home is perfect for her. It has a concrete path up one side that allows her to drive her mobility scooter straight inside the gate to her house. There is also space inside her front door to park her mobility scooter if she needs it and the bathroom has a walk-in shower.
Cece is also loving being part of a community in the new development where she lives, which includes several family homes. Until recently, she was a child and youth worker specialising in arts and crafts.
Just a few days after moving into her new home, Cece held an impromptu arts and crafts session for her neighbours’ kids in the development’s communal area. “I’ve been given so much that I want to give it back. After the Christmas party, the kids left a gift on my doorstep on Christmas Day,” Cece says.
Now that she’s settled into her new home, Cece is thinking about what to do next. “I’m planning to get another job and have been looking at teacher aide jobs. Or I might do my master’s degree,” she says.
In the meantime, she’s enjoying every moment in her new home.
“This house is such a blessing. Every morning, I clean any spot I can see. It’s a privilege to have this house.”
Page updated: 6 March 2025