Category: Houses

“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.

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

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Many of the tenants who will move into the newly completed homes in the fifth and final building in the Community Lane development will be older people or people with health needs. They will start moving in from mid-March.

“In just under two and a half years our build partner CMP Construction have delivered 236 new warm and dry homes. That’s one new home every four days,’’ says Nick Howcroft, Director Delivery at Kāinga Ora.

“I recently met some of the Community Lane tenants who moved in last year and it was so rewarding to get feedback on their new homes. When we hear our tenants say they feel safe, are using the community lounges to connect with each other, and feel blessed to be living here, I know we’ve done a good job and made a difference to the lives of hundreds of New Zealanders.”

Community Lane sits on a site where there were originally 45 older state homes. Now, there are 236 homes spread across five buildings. Most of the homes have been designed with older people in mind but there are also some apartments for small families.

It is high density living so getting the urban design right in the early stages of the planning for Community Lane was critical.  All the buildings were designed to capture the light, with many enjoying elevated views of the communal gardens and the local lane connecting tenants to the surrounding neighbourhood.

Separating the development into five buildings provides a sense of space, and the buildings are nestled around common areas to provide a feeling of safety to those living there.

Each building has its own community lounge and there are gardens and greenhouses providing outdoor spaces where tenants can meet and get to know each other.

“Avondale is a central Auckland suburb, and our development supported Auckland Council plans to revitalise this area. Kāinga Ora site works, and the installation of waste and storm water systems through our land, has enabled private developers to connect and build more new homes in the area,” Nick says.

“During the peak of construction up to 300 workers were onsite so this was busy housing development. The unit cost to build 236 new homes was $572,000 including all of the broader construction costs associated with the development. Commencing construction during a period of rising construction costs and supply constraints presented some challenges, and the overall team did well to execute on the delivery programme. Leveraging many of these learnings and engaging with the industry, we are resetting how we deliver density more cost-effectively in the future.”

Watch this video to learn more about the design and build.  

Page updated: 3 March 2025

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“I’ve gained my independence again. This house is just the best,” says Lara.

After being diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at 10 years old, Lara’s life has never been easy.

The genetic disease, that causes a loss of muscle mass, has led to a slow deterioration in what Lara’s body allows her to do.

“It started with a slow decline in my quality of life in my teens, but its impacts have sped up as I’ve got older. Eventually it’s progressed to the point where I now need a wheelchair to get around.

“You go from living your life how you want, to not being able to do things for yourself anymore. It’s a massive mental hurdle to overcome,” Lara explains.

As her condition has progressed, Lara and eight-year-old Amelia have found the way their home functions crucial to the way they can live.

“In the past the homes we’ve lived in weren’t set up well for a wheelchair user. I wasn’t able to go outside and enjoy the backyard, as I couldn’t get my chair out the back door.

“Even getting out the front door was an absolute mission without a ramp!” Lara quips.

But last year things changed when Lara and Amelia, along with cats Flash, Storm and Rat Bag and dog Mischief, moved into an accessible Kāinga Ora home in Mosgiel.

The home has a range of features that make it easy for Lara to safely move around, including level-entry access, wider doorways, open-plan living spaces and slip-resistant flooring in the bathroom and kitchen.

Since moving in, Lara says her health has been easier to manage and she’s finding life’s day-to-day tasks a lot easier.

“The accessible features like the level-entry and ramps have made a huge difference to our lives. It’s meant I can be more independent and rely on Amelia less.

“We’ve found we can do more things together now I can get in and out of the house easily. We go out and enjoy our neighbourhood more.

“I can even take the rubbish out myself and go outside to sit on the deck and enjoy the sun while Amelia plays with mischief in the backyard.

“I know they’re little things to most people, but they’re big things for us. This home is just perfect for me and I couldn’t be more grateful for it,” says Lara.

Page updated: 27 February 2025

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Whakamanamana Ltd is the development company behind the project. After two devastating floods in 2023 and 2024, Director of Operations Benji King wanted to come home and build on his involvement in the Wairoa community.

“It’s clear that Wairoa has a dire need for more homes. I was happy to get stuck in to make sure the 30 homes that were proposed some time ago, get built.” Once completed, Kāinga Ora will purchase the homes for use as social housing.

“It is rewarding to see siteworks progressing well. They should be completed in the next three months. Framing for the first homes has been erected and it is full steam ahead to get more homes started.”

“We have contracted PCS Projects to build and manage the project. Fred van der Sande has been involved in this development for the last couple of years and he is the project manager.

“A big focus for Fred and the PCS team has been to ensure local labour is used on the project. They have worked with the Wairoa Young Achievers Trust (WYAT) to recruit local rangatahi and ensure they have the opportunity to work towards a qualification. This has resulted in more Wairoa people taking on apprenticeships. It also means that 85% of the people working on the development are locals.

Naomi Whitewood, Kāinga Ora Regional Director East North Island says Kāinga Ora is focused on delivering social housing in areas where it is most needed. “Wairoa is definitely one of those areas and we are happy to be a partner to this development. Seeing progress made on the site means that mokopuna and whānau will be moving into warm, dry, safe homes by the end of the year.”

Wairoa District Council Deputy Mayor Denise Eaglesome. “The good that comes from this project is endless. A housing development of this size bounces our economy by giving local people work. We know that Wairoa needs more housing, there are too many people in this region that don’t have a home. Having a nice place to live is so important for whanau wellbeing.”

The first homes on Tihitihi Pa are expected to be completed late this year with more following in 2026. They will be low maintenance and fully insulated with carpets, curtains, double glazing and heat pumps.

Page updated: 21 February 2025

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The Kāinga Ora tenant, better known as ‘Auntie Faith’ to the children she knits for, has been donating beautifully knitted slippers and mittens to Motueka schools for a number of years.

“The whole idea is every child in the classroom has cosy feet because they change into slippers in the classroom,” Faith explains.

“I ring around the schools in March to see if they need anything. I do it with my daughter and two to three friends and I get the schools to draw an outline of the children’s feet to give me an idea of what’s needed. I also get an outline of the children’s hands for the mittens. I can do two pairs of slippers in an evening,” Faith explains.

Faith has been knitting for about 80 years and has many memories of the important part the hobby has played in her life.

“I learnt to knit when I was five. It was during the war and Mum and I were living with a lady while Dad was overseas. She taught me how to knit, although Mum was a good knitter too. I was at school in Addington in Christchurch and Mum and I would go and buy skeins of wool. I was 10 when I knitted my first jersey.”

Faith’s lifelong love of knitting has seen her enter local knitting competitions and donate to many people in need over the years. She was Motueka co-ordinator for ‘Operation Cover Up’, which sends shipping containers full of donated knitted clothes and toys to Eastern Europe each year, for 10 years.

“I used to collect everything and then it went to Christchurch and on to Europe. We did about 300 blankets. I had peggy squares all over my lounge floor before we sewed them up,” Faith says.

“We got a video of the children getting the handknitted dolls, and the look on their faces! I really enjoyed doing that project.”

Faith and her husband raised four children in another Kāinga Ora home in Motueka, where she lived for 36 years. In August last year, with her family all grown up, it was time to move to a place that better suited her needs.

Her home’s central location means she is close to the Motueka District Museum and the Motueka Red Cross Shop, where she volunteers her time.

“When the weather is good, I can walk to the museum and the Red Cross. I have volunteered with the Red Cross for 32 years. I could not bear to not be busy,” Faith says.

Page updated: 20 February 2025

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Over the past 12 months, our frontline teams have been working with tenants to reduce their rent debt. This has resulted in total rent debt falling from $21.6 million in January 2024 to $16.1 million at the same time this year.

But we want the amount owed to fall faster and to make sure we keep rent debt down in the future. So we are making changes as part of the broader reset of Kāinga Ora to address this.

New policy

We’re going to reduce debt by taking a firmer approach with tenants who are behind on their rent. We will be fair and reasonable – but rent must be paid.

We will continue to support households who fall on hard times but are making genuine attempts to get back on track with their rent. We’re a social housing landlord so that’s the right thing to do.

But, through our new rent debt policy, we are drawing a line on how patient we can be. We don’t want to end tenancies, but we will if tenants are not meeting their obligations to reduce their rent debt, are skipping rent payments or refusing to work with us.

We’re also taking action to prevent large debts in future. Our new approach seeks to ensure that tenants will not have accumulated more than 12 weeks’ worth of rent debt when their tenancy is ended. This means we will begin the process of ending a tenancy earlier than in the past. This provides clarity about what will happen, and when, to both our tenants and our frontline.

Partial debt forgiveness

A small number of Kāinga Ora tenants – less than 3% – have accumulated more than 12 weeks’ worth of rent debt. There are a range of reasons for this, including social and economic events over the past five years and the steps Kāinga Ora took to respond to government policy, particularly during the pandemic.

We’re going to help those tenants get on top of their rent debt faster by reducing the amount owed to a level that is more realistic for them to repay in full. We’ll only do this for tenants who are consistently paying their rent and making reasonable payments to reduce their debt. In return for this one-off help, tenants must continue reducing their debt.

This will provide a clear incentive to tenants who are not currently meeting their obligations to change their behaviour and speed up repaying what they owe. If they consistently do this, they will be eligible to have part of their debt forgiven. But if they do not, we will take steps to end their tenancy.

We expect to forgive up to $8.3 million of the $16.17 million we’re owed. This is already provisioned for on our balance sheets as it is regarded as doubtful debt, so there will be no impact on our financial performance.

We think this is the right thing to do. The likelihood of collecting all this debt is low, given the time it will take tenants to pay it off and the significant costs associated with chasing it. We’re also conscious that during the pandemic the steps we took to respond to government policy meant we didn’t chase debt in the way we normally would, so we carry a measure of responsibility.

We’re being pragmatic. We think we’re better off focusing on recovering the remaining debt faster and ensuring current tenants do not get into too much debt.

All tenants whose debt is reduced will still have a significant amount to repay. And they’ll have a strong incentive to do this under our new policy, which it makes it clear we will end tenancies if tenants do not meet their rent obligations.

Looking ahead

It’s important we strike the right balance between supporting households in difficult circumstances and ensuring that our tenants meet their obligations. We will be closely monitoring the impact of both the new rent debt policy and partial rent debt forgiveness to ensure we have the right balance. If necessary, we will make further adjustments.

Page updated: 11 February 2025

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“Our focus as a key contributor to New Zealand’s social housing eco-system is on providing safe, warm, dry homes for those in need and acting as a good, supportive landlord to tenants and communities, while ensuring the agency’s long-term financial sustainability,’’ says Board Chair Simon Moutter.

“Kāinga Ora is the largest social housing landlord in the country, and it is important we look after our homes and tenants and serve our communities well. We are looking forward to working alongside other Community Housing Providers to ensure that New Zealanders in need get stable and supportive housing.

“Our new plan for Kainga Ora, which the government has approved, outlines a clear path forward for the agency as a responsible social housing landlord who is fair but firm, and invests in the state housing stock in a financially sustainable way,’’ Mr Moutter says.

Over the two years to 30 June 2026, Kāinga Ora will be adding 2,650 new homes to the state housing stock, as well as renewing almost 3,000 homes.

“Because of New Zealand’s long history of providing social housing, many of our state homes are old and getting to their end of their life. It is important that we invest in renewing these homes so we can continue the legacy of providing good quality state housing,’’ Mr Moutter says.

The key elements of the new plan for Kāinga Ora are:

• A renewed focus on core mission: Over time, Kāinga Ora will narrow its focus on providing and managing social housing in a financially sustainable way.
• Improved tenancy management: Changes are being made to tenancy management and more use is being made of the Residential Tenancies Act to ensure better outcomes for both tenants and communities. A key part of this will be ensuring tenants are in the right type of home at the right time, with the right support in place.
• Improved housing portfolio and build management: We are changing our maintenance strategies to ensure we look after our homes, while also investing in the progressive renewal of our older homes. Build costs will be reduced so they are more in line with the market.
• Improved organisational performance, with a focus on cost effectiveness: Changes are being made to right-size the organisation and ensure value for money.
• Improved financial sustainability: As key cost-saving initiatives are embedded, Kāinga Ora’s financial sustainability will significantly improve.

Find out more about the plan for Kāinga Ora.

Page updated: 4 February 2025

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They were recently blessed by local kaikarakia along with another seven homes in nearby Onekawa. The seven homes on Taradale Road are single story, two-bedroom homes and are on a main arterial route, close to schools and workplaces.

Naomi Whitewood Regional Director East North Island says “We are looking forward to welcoming another 19 whānau into new homes in the next couple of weeks. We know that having a warm, dry place to call home can make such a huge difference to people’s lives.

“There is a strong demand for housing in Napier including demand for homes close to the central city. The modern three-storey apartments on Wellesley Road address this need and contribute to future apartment living options in Napier city.

“We take a careful approach to matching homes to whānau requiring a home of that size and location with consideration of the neighbouring community.

In Wellesley Road, the apartments are within walking distance of the central city including supermarkets and health services. This was an important consideration when purchasing the development and matching people to the apartments.

Napier is an area of focus in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s Public Housing Plan. It has a significant housing need in relation to population size.

Progress is being made, with 755 people moved into a Kāinga Ora house last year. This includes 261 tamariki who moved into a long-term home from unsuitable housing. “We continue to focus on ensuring our mokopuna have a healthy, long-term place in which to grow.” 

In the last four years 221 homes were delivered by Kāinga Ora in Napier and 610 in the wider Hawkes Bay. This includes 15 homes in Onekawa that were completed in December just in time for whanau to move in before Christmas.

Currently another 152 new social houses are planned to be delivered for Kāinga Ora in Napier. Of these, 101 houses are expected to be delivered in 2025, and 51 in 2026.

Page updated: 31 January 2025

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Having used nylon carpet for more than a decade, the agency is opening up its recent Request for Proposal (RFP) to wool carpet suppliers also, allowing a direct price and offering comparison.

Chief Executive Matt Crockett says Kāinga Ora has traditionally used solution dyed nylon carpet due to its durability and price.

“Kāinga Ora owns and maintains more than 75,000 homes throughout New Zealand. Over the two years to 30 June 2026, we are adding a further 2,650 new homes to our portfolio and will be significantly renovating or replacing another 3,000 existing homes.

“It’s important the products and materials used in these properties are fit for purpose, durable and cost-effective to ensure value for money. These will continue to be our key assessment criteria when we compare supplier proposals.

“This RFP is an opportunity for us to retest market pricing for both wool and nylon carpet offerings, as part of a robust procurement process. This approach gives all suppliers the fair chance to put their best proposals forward, and we look forward to seeing what they can offer.”

Kāinga Ora has informed suppliers that it is closing its current procurement process and will be reissuing a new RFP inviting submissions from both wool and nylon carpet suppliers.

The new RFP will be released to the market via the Government Electronic Tender Service.

Page updated: 30 January 2025

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