Category: Housing Sector

Rose, Stakeholder Relationship Manager for Central and East Auckland says information sessions continue to be a really important way for Kāinga Ora to keep communities informed.

“While we ensure information about our developments is always accessible through online channels like our website and our interactive Social Pinpoint maps which we provide by Local Board area, we also recognise that communities appreciate an opportunity to meet face-to-face. We also invite tenants as these events provide an opportunity to meet neighbours and other stakeholders active in the local community.” Rose says.

Howick Local Board Chair Damian Light who came along agrees.

“The Howick Local Board is grateful that Kāinga Ora continues to engage with our communities before, during, and after these developments – helping build homes and communities.”

“Information sessions are a great opportunity for locals to meet with Kāinga Ora team members to learn more about the developments happening around Pakūranga. With a number of new homes already delivered, I also enjoyed an opportunity to meet some of the new tenants and welcome them to the neighbourhood.”

“It’s also encouraging to see the quality of developments that are being delivered in our area, especially those that are accessible through universal design.” Damian says.

New Pakūranga tenant Abdulla also enjoyed the information session.

“I came along as our family have recently moved into a new Kāinga Ora home in this community. I also wanted to let Kāinga Ora know that our home is already having a positive impact on the health of my children,” Abdulla said.

“When we were living in our other rental house my children were always sick with breathing problems, chest infections, coughs, and colds. I am so happy now as my children are no longer sick. Our new Kāinga Ora home is a healthy house and so warm, and dry,” Abdulla says.

Kāinga Ora has delivered 81 new warm, dry homes over the past year across 12 sites in Pakuranga including this 6-bedroom family home.

Page updated: 24 October 2024

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At Janette’s new apartment complex, there are nooks in the entrance space where neighbours can gather, with lounge chairs and built-in window seats.

Janette noticed open storage spaces beneath the window seats and immediately visualised them filled with books. She thought how nice it would be for neighbours to lounge in the light-filled spaces reading or for them to borrow books to read back in their apartments.

A month on, Janette’s vision has become a reality thanks to her enterprise and with support from the local library.

“I’m an avid reader and I saw the opportunity for us to have a little library,” says Janette.

“I popped into the public library and asked if they had any old books for sale. They gave me 20 used books, but they refused to take any money for them.”

Library staff said the books were a welcome gift to their new neighbours and soon followed up with a further 10 books.

Janette is modest about her effort, saying it’s all part of being in a community.

“One of my neighbours helped me get my washing machine plumbed in, and another showed me how to work the heat pump. Organising a little library is a way that I can contribute.”

The complex is designed for ease of community building, with all customers having access to resident lounges, where they meet weekly to chat and often bring food to share.

“I’m very happy here,” says Janette. “The location is fantastic with easy access to shops and amenities, my apartment is secure, quiet and sunny, and my neighbours are great.” 

Page updated: 22 October 2024

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Nick Maling, General Manager National Services, says some of our customers have reported issues with the heaters sparking and the plastic casing being damaged by heat.

“We are asking customers with this model of heater in their home to stop using them.

“We have also informed WorkSafe New Zealand and the product supplier, who has advised the manufacturer. As the regulator, WorkSafe will determine the next steps.

“If customers have not yet heard from us and they have one of these heaters in their home, we ask that they not use the heater until further notice.”

If customers have any questions or concerns, they can call Kāinga Ora on 0800 801 601 and one of the team will be able to help them.

Page updated: 18 October 2024

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That is why Kāinga Ora is teaming up with New Zealand’s oldest and largest animal welfare charity, SPCA, and some Northland vet clinics to offer hundreds of customers in Whangarei and Kaitaia the opportunity to get their cats and dogs desexed at no charge.

The SPCA will cover the costs involved and the teams at Top Vets in Kaitaia and the Mog and Dog Desexing Clinic in Whangārei will carry out the procedures.

“Pets can be great companions and support people’s wellbeing, which is why Kāinga Ora is a pet-friendly landlord and happy to consider applications from customers who want to have pets in their home,” says Jordan Seymour, Manager Housing and Wellbeing Support for Northland.

“We have a partnership with SPCA because we want to encourage our customers to be responsible pet owners. Getting pets desexed is a responsible thing to do, but the costs can be a barrier for some of our customers because they are living on very low incomes.

“When SPCA approached us about taking part in a campaign aimed at getting more cats and dogs in Northland desexed, we were keen to jump onboard because we know some of our properties do have large numbers of un-desexed cats and dogs.

“With SPCA covering the cost of desexing for our customers pets, we’re hoping to avoid the problems caused by unwanted litters,’’ says Jordan.

Over the coming weeks, Top Vets in Kaitaia will desex up to 200 cats and 200 dogs belonging to local Kāinga Ora customers, and a similar number of cats and dogs from Kāinga Ora homes in Whangārei will be desexed by the Mog and Dog Desexing Clinic. Pets receiving the surgeries will also be microchipped at no cost.

“We’re pleased to be able to team up with Kāinga Ora to offer these important services to pet owners who may be struggling,” says Rebecca Dobson, National Desexing Programme Manager at SPCA. “Desexing is vital in bringing down the number of unwanted animals in these communities, and we know cost is often a barrier for pet owners especially during a cost-of-living crisis.

“We’re also covering the costs of microchipping, as we believe it’s an important part of responsible pet ownership. Microchipping gives pets the best possible chance at being reunited with their families if they’re ever lost,” says Ms Dobson.

For more information

Page updated: 17 October 2024

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Kāinga Ora has purchased the five two-bedroom homes in Richmond, near Nelson, from developer NZ Housing Group now that construction has been completed. They are among 27 new homes Kāinga Ora has delivered in Richmond in the past year.

Julia Campbell, Regional Director Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast, says people on the Ministry of Social Development housing register who have specifically requested to move to Richmond will soon move into these homes.

“Now that we’ve purchased the homes, we’ve begun the process of placing people into them. We’re expecting all the homes to be tenanted in the next couple of weeks.”

Ms Campbell says the homes are in a sought-after location, with shops, schools and other services all nearby. “We’re looking forward to welcoming customers into their new homes, and to supporting them and their whānau as they settle into the area,” she says.

Construction of the new homes began in April this year. Construction is also continuing on six new two-bedroom homes in Oxford Street in Richmond, which Kāinga Ora has agreed to purchase when they are completed at the end of this year. 

Page updated: 10 October 2024

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Kāinga Ora homes in the little town just south of Auckland are amongst the hundreds of older state houses across New Zealand being extensively refurbished as part of our Retrofit Programme. The programme is designed to make our homes warmer, drier and healthier, places that tenants are proud to call home.

“When we walked in, we were like ‘Wow!’” recalls Eteta. “We already love living in Tuakau because it’s quiet and safe, the kids can walk to school, and I can walk to work. Now the house looks brand new – and we love it!

Eteta and her partner Alexander are especially happy that their kitchen-dining area has been opened up because now there’s space for the young family to eat together. The bathroom has been reconfigured too, and the home has new windows, doors and a heat pump, making it cosy for winter. In addition, the house has fresh paint, new carpets and improved layouts in the kitchen and bathroom.

Just along the road from Eteta’s whānau is customer Beverly. She loves her renovated home so much that she wants to buy it.

“If I won the lottery, I’d buy this house. It’s beautiful now and I’m so proud of it.”

Beverly’s home, a three-bedroom weatherboard and tile house, dates back to 1983 before open-plan living was popular and it’s been reconfigured to create a more spacious kitchen-dining area.

“I absolutely love the kitchen; there’s more storage space and it’s very easy to clean. That means a lot to me because I have heart problems and limited mobility.”

Amazingly, it’s the third time Beverly has lived in this particular house. The first time was when it was new and she was a young mother; the next time was when she returned to the area with older children, and most recently she moved back after the retrofit.

“All my family’s memories are in this home. We know all our neighbours and we just love it here. I’m so happy about how smart my house looks now.

“It’s also a big relief to know the power bills will be lower now. We used to bring our mattresses into the lounge at night to save on the heating, but we don’t have to do that anymore. The house is much warmer.”

Retrofitting includes full insulation, double glazing and improved air tightness, making homes fit for a further 50 years’ use.

It can be more efficient and sustainable to retrofit rather than build new, making use of existing materials rather than demolishing and building new homes.

And it supports tenants’ wellbeing by enabling them to stay in their homes and communities, in warmer and drier conditions.

Page updated: 7 October 2024

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“We’re going to dig a garden out back. I bought a lemon tree the other day and I have a couple of camellia trees. We’re also going to have to paint our picnic table. It’s a beautiful garden,” Michelle says.

The couple, both of whom live with significant health conditions, recently moved to their new home with their 10-year-old and 13-year-old sons, Sparkle the dog and Simon the cat from another Kāinga Ora home in Greymouth, where they had lived for 20 years.

Michelle and Ché’s new home was significantly improved and upgraded as part of the Kāinga Ora retrofit programme, which aims to make older homes warmer, drier, healthier and more energy efficient.

After waiting for a larger home that would better suit their family for some time, Michelle says she’s over the moon to now live in an upgraded three-bedroom home. 

“We can actually breathe. The kids have their own space and we have a much bigger area that suits us,” Michelle says.

The family is also excited about exploring their new neighbourhood after moving from central Greymouth to Cobden. “The neighbours are lovely and we’re close to the beach. We’re going to the beach at the weekend. Letting the waves just wash over our feet is great for our mental health. My son loves collecting stones and sticks so he’ll do that,” Michelle explains.

Keen fisherman Ché is also looking forward to surfcasting off the beach. “I do a lot of fishing around here. Whitebaiting, kawai fishing and I do trout fishing in the Grey River,” he says.

Michelle says they are already counting down to Christmas with extended family in their new, more spacious home. “I can’t wait to put up the Christmas tree and I can decorate it any time. I’m so thankful for this house. This is a home that I’m happy to live in.”

Page updated: 3 October 2024

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The hospital told Len he’d be unable to return to his double-storey house due to the stairs, which were incompatible with his recovery.

Recognising the urgency, the Kāinga Ora placement and housing support teams worked quickly to find a suitable home.

They identified a newly finished single-level home with accessibility features such as an accessible shower and wheelchair access and arranged a viewing—allowing Len, still in hospital, to discuss its suitability with his sister Gaye.

“Hearing about the new house over the phone was a huge relief,” said Len. “I’m so grateful to Gaye and the Kāinga Ora team for making this happen so quickly.”

Once Len agreed to the move, Kāinga Ora wasted no time and movers were immediately contacted.

“We understood the urgency,” said Senior Housing Support Manager David.

“Len’s whānau supported the move so well that we were able to visit him in the hospital and complete the sign-up process while they carried out tasks in his absence.”

“Fortunately, in Hamilton we’ve delivered 206 new homes with accessibility features in the past financial year, which allowed us to act so quickly,” said David.

Just a few days after the initial call, Len moved into his new home and says the accessible features have made daily life much easier.

“I feel safe and comfortable here, and it’s been a huge weight off my shoulders knowing that everything is set up for my needs,” he shared.

Gaye also reflected on the smooth transition saying, “Kāinga Ora was incredible. They moved at lightning speed and made sure everything was perfect for my brother. We couldn’t have asked for better support.” 

Page updated: 1 October 2024

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At 14 years old, Devontae has already become something of a waste warrior in his neighbourhood.

“I’ve noticed that our environment is getting pretty messy … as generations go by, it’s just going to keep getting worse,” he says.

“So why not be the role model and try to make a change?”

Last month, the Māngere College(external link) year 10 student set out to clean up his community, joined by more than 30 of his classmates.

Students then set upon Te Ararata Stream to plant rākau seedlings, which will help the awa to thrive. All of this work is part of a bigger plan – one led out of the new Māngere Community Enviro Hub and the various groups that call it their base.

A community hub grows 

Before it became the Enviro Hub, the site contained older Kāinga Ora homes that were cleared as part of Mangere Development. An opportunity was identified to offer the section as a temporary community space until it’s needed for new housing, so McKenzie Tuala-Pine, Programme Manager – Placemaking, put a call out for ideas.

Of 12 applicants, the successful candidate was I Am Māngere(external link) – a trust formed in 2020 to empower local community groups – which worked with its partners and McKenzie to create a space that could be shared.

Today that group is Etu Rakau(external link), an organisation focused on removing and reducing waste and litter. Founder and Director Rata Taiwhanga made his start with a converted trolley – the Waste Waka – used to “play our favourite beats while picking up rubbish off the streets”.

The mission to protect te taiao (the environment) grew, with Rata now bringing schools on the journey and sharing the knowledge of his tūpuna. Working with Māngere College, he set up an educational fundraiser aimed at making enough money to buy a greenhouse for the hub.

“This is so we can start [planting] seeds at the hub and actually giving away those seeds to different whānau,” Rata says.

“It’s really important, our collaboration, it’s really what brings the community together and it’s what connects us.”

Hangi and hauora 

As well as the planting and clean-up, students learned how to pick fresh vegetables and cook with a hangi – prepped and supported by the I Am Māngere team.

“[The fundraiser] is about taking a hauora approach, so that’s looking at how can we go from picking up rubbish, to planting out trees, to feeding the people,” Rata says.

“What I’m hoping for the rangatahi to take away from today is becoming more aware of their environment. Creating environment hubs like this gives the freedom for communities to come and engage, and feel like it’s a space that’s theirs.”

For year 13 student Te Arawa, the fundraiser inspired a call to action for others to “just get out there and give it a try”.

“Coming out today made me change my look on how people treat the country,” she says. “I want to make a change to that.”

JP Puleitu, Advisor – Youth Placemaking at Kāinga Ora, says supporting the fundraiser and community spaces in development areas is “a no-brainer”.

“In a lot of the neighbourhoods and a lot of our builds, there are a lot of great grassroots groups that are coming through, but they just need that umbrella support,” he says.

“The community themselves have a lot of the solutions for their own people and their own communities, and so it’s really just [about] getting behind them.”

Page updated: 30 September 2024

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Designed and constructed by Gemscott, stage one of ‘Te Tira’ (a name gifted to the development by Ngāti Rēhia) consists of four ground-level homes and four second-level homes. The ground-level homes are built to full universal design standards, meaning they are suitable for people of all ages and abilities.

Far North District Mayor – Kahika Moko Tepania, who spoke at the opening, welcomed the new social housing.

“Initial research for our Far North Housing Strategy has shown our region has the worst quality housing in the country and hundreds of families on the Housing Register.

“Te Tira is a welcome step in the right direction to address this, and I am stoked for the whānau who will move into these homes, which are close to all the amenities of our Kerikeri Town Centre,” he said.

Kipa Munro, Chair of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia said housing in Kerikeri is out of reach for many.

“The name Te Tira reflects the vision of the development, in that these homes are climate smart, secure and respectful.

“To be considered for one of the kāinga at Te Tira, whānau must be on the Ministry of Social Development’s Housing Register, so I encourage anyone who needs housing support to reach out to MSD to discuss whether they are eligible,” he said.

Jeff Murray, Regional Director – Northland at Kāinga Ora, said the new homes were built to high standard and feedback from locals was positive.

“Following the blessing we opened the homes and invited the community to come down and take a look for themselves. Over 100 Kerikeri locals looked through the homes and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

“Gemscott and their contractors are now hard at work on stage two of the development, which will deliver an additional 14 homes,” he said.

On completion, in early 2025, ‘Te Tira’ will include shared outdoor space, a children’s play area, a bike shed and onsite carparking.

Page updated: 27 September 2024

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