Category: Kainga Ora

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

The Kāinga Ora customer and Tasha moved into their new one-bedroom unit earlier this year because his previous home in another part of Blenheim was being redeveloped.

“I didn’t want to leave my old home at first because I do a paper delivery in the area. But my old house was going, and this house came up,” Peter says.

“The flat is nice and cosy and I don’t need the heating on because of the double-glazed windows,” Peter explains. “Now I’m close to Countdown and town…everything is close by. I have arthritis which slows me down – and this home helps with the arthritis.”

Peter says Tasha the cat has also adjusted to her new surroundings well, especially because Peter’s neighbour from his previous home has also moved into the same complex. When Peter, a Speedway enthusiast, travels to other parts of the South Island, his neighbour is happy to lend a helping hand.

“My neighbour knows Tasha too and, when I go away, she feeds Tasha for me. My cat Tasha loves the new flat and has just got used to going out and visiting my neighbour, but stays inside at night.”

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

In a milestone for the Arlington Development, most of the civil works have now been completed, meaning the site is now well prepared for building new much needed homes in central Wellington.

This has been a significant task given the complexity of the site. Its uneven terrain, complex decontamination requirements, along with the usual Wellington seismic strengthening requirements for a large multi-storey building development like this mean this is a good step forward for developing a site in a prime location that has been underutilised for many years due to these challenges.

However, before we start above ground construction of the homes, we need to take another look at costs and plans given the significant cost escalation since the project began. These issues impact the entire sector, but are particularly significant for a large, complex development such as this.

We’re absolutely committed to delivering housing at our Arlington Development, and it’s appropriate to take another look at plans and costs to make sure we are getting the best value and outcomes from such an important site in central Wellington.

Kāinga Ora is now in the process of making changes to the original plans that will allow us to maintain around the same number of homes, high quality design and community amenity. We will be able to ensure reduced costs alongside quality outcomes through applying the efficiencies of our new Housing Delivery System. This new design and construction method enables reliability, quality, and reduced cost and time to deliver public housing, ensuring the Arlington construction programme is feasible. The increased reliability of the new Housing Delivery System, which is also being applied in over 20 other places throughout NZ, also means more reliable key construction timeframes.

The changes to the original plans will mean we need to apply for a new resource consent in early 2024, a process which allows the benefit of aligning with Wellington’s Proposed District Plan

This is part of wider work in the area to deliver new homes. Kāinga Ora has added 110 new public homes to our inner Wellington City portfolio over the past year and there are over 100 more homes coming into service in the next few months, including our 80-home development at nearby Rolleston.

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

It was this that led Kāinga Ora and UCOL | Te Pūkenga to join forces and organise a free cooking class for the Whanganui community, including Kāinga Ora customers, to share tips, tricks and inspiration for eating well on a budget.

In October, the participants met at the UCOL | Te Pukenga Whanganui campus to learn basic food safety, talk about costing and budgeting when shopping and learn about meal prep and how to freeze meals. And of course, there were plenty of opportunities for food tasting.

So, what was on the menu? Everything from enchiladas and cottage pie to keema curry with rice and spaghetti Bolognese. All four meals were made with the same base beef mince recipe. Easy!

Kāinga Ora customer Frankie learned a lot of great tips that she is looking forward to using at home. “I find it challenging to cook healthy meals within a budget,” says Frankie. “But I’ve learned a lot in this course. I now know how to make the perfect mash potatoes and check the food’s temperature without a thermometer. I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend this course.”

Fellow Kāinga Ora customer, Silo, says she attended the course because she is interested in cooking but sometimes struggles with finding healthier alternatives for things like cream and cheese.

“The facilitator shared many helpful tips and tricks for healthy eating on a budget,” says Silo. “I’m looking forward to sharing these ideas with other people – I think I will make the enchiladas for my community group soon!”

Kāinga Ora is proud to have partnered with UCOL | Te Pūkenga to organise this course for the Whanganui community.

“This is a perfect example of how we are working with community organisations to support our customers and build sustainable, thriving and inclusive communities,“ says Tyrone Kemp, Stakeholder Relationship Manager for Kāinga Ora in Taranaki, Whanganui and Manawatu.

“We know that many customers find it challenging to cook healthy meals within a budget. Our facilitator Gina showed the receipt for the ingredients she bought for this course and shared tips for low-cost meals. The food the participants made tasted great, and it is wonderful that they have learned practical tips and tricks they can try at home every day.”

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

The couple are the first in their aiga (family) to buy property. They grew up in Sāmoa with little access to education or income and moved to Auckland to make the most of opportunities here.

It wasn’t an easy move: they spoke little English and had to depend on family help while they looked for work, but they tackled all obstacles together, determined to build a good life here.

Suamasi set up his business as a builder and each week, the couple put aside money towards a deposit on a home.

He worked long hours, often leaving before the children woke and working past their bedtimes. When the tamaiti were at school, Semala worked alongside her husband to plaster, paint and hammer.

However, the couple struggled with unsuitable or expensive accommodation, moving from a cold and cramped caravan on the lawn of a family member’s home, to a private rental that squeezed their income.

In 2006, the family was approved for a state home in East Tāmaki which Semala says was a great relief. The new home was safe and warm, and the rent was affordable.

However, they never lost sight of their dream to become homeowners. No matter how many bills came in or how many family and friends they helped, they continued to save.

By late-2022, they’d saved $125,000 – enough for a 20% deposit on a house.

After two failed attempts to secure a mortgage, they approached a Sāmoan-speaking mortgage advisor for help with the application process.

“It helped a lot to have someone speaking our language,” says Semala. “But it was still a long process to get all our documentation in order. It took six months,”

Finally, the couple’s purchase went through and in March 2023 they moved into their new home in Ōtara with four bedrooms and a good-sized backyard.

“We were very overwhelmed and felt very blessed. Glory to God. We are very proud that we’ve been able to buy a home in the community that we love; it feels like our hard work and sacrifices have paid off,” Semala says.

“We’re so happy that our children have a forever home.”

Suamasi is delighted to be able to make improvements to the home, something he couldn’t do in rented properties. He has already built a new fence and decking, and the couple have a long list of plans for renovations.

They are also very happy to welcome friends and aiga who need somewhere to stay and something to eat. It’s the way Suamasi was raised, and he wants to continue the family tradition of giving.

“It feels good know our children have security and we hope that they too will become homeowners.”

For now, the eldest two are at university; Calen, 20 studying information technology and Rose, 18, studying teaching. The other children, Ordaine, 15, Simone, 11 and Gideon, 8, are in school.

“We tell our kids to study hard so they can get good jobs,” says Semala. “We didn’t have this opportunity in Sāmoa so we encourage our children to make the most of it. We tell them to go to school, find a job and you will have a good life.”

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

For the residents of a quiet cul-de-sac in Invercargill, their Kāinga Ora homes have provided them with safety, improved wellbeing and, most importantly, the bond of friendship.

Eight accessible two-bedroom homes line the street with their manicured gardens – and the people living in the homes all have their own reasons for cherishing the community they’ve built together.

Although the residents only moved into the homes just over a year ago, they have become the best of friends.

One of the residents, Tracey, explains that there’s a special sense of community they have created through the support they offer each other.

“It’s a close community – you look out your kitchen window and someone is waving at you. We give each other space but if you need help, someone is always there for you.”

For Tracey, who uses a wheelchair, her move to the home has also meant she can live in an environment that caters to her needs.

“Before we moved here, we were living in a tent, then a cabin and my health went downhill. Moving into this accessible townhouse has been life-changing.

“My physical and mental health have improved, I was able to have the treatment I required and I had a safe space to recover in,” says Tracey.

For neighbour Shona, moving to her new Kāinga Ora home has also benefitted her health by allowing her to be closer to family.

What she didn’t expect though, was to be surrounded by an entirely new support network as well.

“I like a later start sometimes and I remember one day not long after moving in, it was around 10am and I was still in bed. I heard loud banging on my front door and thought ‘what on earth is that?’ and went to check what it was,” Shona says.

It was neighbours Len and Joy-Ann checking Shona was alright as her blinds were still pulled shut.

“I wasn’t too pleased about the human alarm clocks at the time,” she jokes. “But now I look back at that and think how lucky I am to be surrounded by these people – I feel safe here.

“I knew it was going to be good here, but I didn’t know it was going to be this good,” Shona says.

Joy-Ann, who lives across the street from Shona, moved into her new home after experiencing some far from ideal living conditions after she moved out of her previous rental, due to it being sold.

“After needing to move from my old home, I went to living in a horrible small hut on a farm for three months and then to a portacom at a hotel I was cleaning. At my age and being on my own, I felt quite unsafe.

“So when I was called about a Kāinga Ora home it was such a relief – I had a peep through the window before moving in and I shouted ‘this is a palace!’.”

Since moving in, Joy-Ann has been able to finally enjoy her older years thanks to her neighbours.

“Len mows my lawns and I bake him cheese puffs as a thank you. I drop our other neighbour, Dave, to his hospital appointments and I know he’ll repay the favour when I need it. It’s just what we do.”

Joy-Ann’s dog Honey has taken to her new home too, quickly charming her neighbours.

“If I say to Honey in the morning, ‘Len’s door’s open’, she’s off like a rocket over there, gets a treat and then she’s flat out back here again. She loves it here,” Joy-Ann says with a big grin on her face.

“I don’t have family nearby, but I have a family here – this is my family.”

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

Allume’s unique SolShare system enables the sharing of rooftop solar on multi-tenant buildings; breaking some of the technical barriers to providing solar electricity to apartment buildings.

Kāinga Ora renewable energy lead, Jennifer Van der Merwe says the system is estimated to reduce customer power bills by around $350-$400 per year and is a real opportunity to improve customer wellbeing and tackle energy hardship.

“The SolShare unit will distribute solar electricity equally amongst customers at the 15-unit, 3 storey walk-up complex,” she said.

“It monitors when an apartment is using energy and will direct solar power to it to reduce electricity bills as much as possible. This can increase the amount of solar used in the building by up to 50% compared to individual systems.

“The beauty of the technology is that it doesn’t restrict the customers’ choice of electricity retailer, and there’s no additional billing services or platforms, so nothing changes other than their power bill.

“Renewable energy is just one of the ways we’re looking to make sustainable living part of the fabric of public housing in this country, so it’s more equitable, accessible and affordable for those who might otherwise be left behind.”

Kāinga Ora regional director Jeff Murray says having the ability to add solar to existing apartments is a big win for public housing, their customers and the environment alike.

“In one single installation, we were able deliver solar to 15 public houses and their customers – something that was previously not possible.

“Ultimately it has created the opportunity to make solar more accessible and more affordable so it can be used in public housing developments, where the financial benefits are needed most,” he says.

Allume Energy CEO and Co-Founder, Cameron Knox says, “We are delighted to be working with Kāinga Ora and supporting the Government on this landmark trial for New Zealand.”

“Allume was founded to unlock the benefits of clean, affordable solar energy for all, and Anzac Road is a milestone project in delivering this for multi-tenant housing in New Zealand.

“We’re excited to see the realisation of those benefits for residents in the coming months and are committed to working with Kāinga Ora to ensure learnings are fully leveraged for future shared solar multi-tenant buildings around New Zealand.”

Anzac Road is the third Kāinga Ora development to receive a Solshare installation, and the first installation on an existing complex. It follows installations on Christchurch’s new 20-unit Riccarton Road development and Napier’s 24-unit Seddon Crescent development completed last month.

Kāinga Ora has partnered with leading Australian company Allume Energy to bring the SolShare system to New Zealand.

 

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

The redevelopment will see 16 existing houses, that were no longer fit for purpose, replaced with up to 40 new, warm and dry homes for whānau in need of a place to call home.

Planning for the redevelopment of the site has continued to progress and demolition of the existing buildings is now complete.

A resource consent application is currently being assessed by Dunedin City Council and we are pleased to be able to share an overview of the new homes currently planned for the site.

Regional Director Kerrie Young says subject to the consenting process, the site will be developed to provide two buildings holding a mix of up to 40 one and two-bedroom homes.

“We have recently been engaging with neighbours on our proposed plans and are now excited to be sharing these with the wider community.

“The proposed plans include around 25% of the homes meeting full universal design standards, meaning they can be adapted to be accessible for people of all abilities, at any stage of life.

“They also include a shared outdoor space and a community room facility. Carparking for residents has also been incorporated into the design.

“This is a great example of making better use of an existing site with a considered design that references the historic and cultural background of a neighbourhood, so more people can live in an established area that is close to shops, open spaces and other amenities,” Ms Young says.

Once our resource consent application has been fully assessed by council and our plans are finalised, we’ll be in a position to confirm when construction may begin.

“We’re looking forward to progressing this development once the consenting process is complete and delivering these much-needed homes to the Dunedin community,” says Ms Young.

See more of what’s happening in the Otago region.

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

The event was part of Keep New Zealand Beautiful’s Clean Up Week, and Te Rā Nui worked alongside members of the community to make the event a success. Te Rā Nui is the Eastern Porirua Development partnership that consists of Kāinga Ora, Porirua City Council and Ngāti Toa Rangatira.

The event was sparked by an idea raised in community engagement meetings where residents expressed a desire to see their neighbourhood cleaned up. As a result, Te Rā Nui organised the event to bring the community together and create a cleaner, more liveable neighbourhood.

Throughout the event, community members worked together to collect rubbish throughout the four neighbourhoods that form part of the project precinct – Cannons Creek, Waitangirua, Rānui and Ascot Park. Te Rā Nui provided rubbish bags and skip bins to help with their efforts.

As well as the clean-up itself, the event also provided the opportunity for people to bring items they no longer needed, but that still had plenty of life left in them to pass on. These donated items were placed in special marquees where other members of the community could have a look and take home things they needed. Anything that wasn’t claimed on the day was given to a second-hand shop for redistribution within the community.

Abbie Mckoy, Manager of the Community Engagement and Partnerships team for Greater Wellington said “the community’s response to the event was fantastic. Many people turned out to get involved on the day, which was a great opportunity for people to connect with their neighbours while doing something positive for the neighbourhood.“

The success of the event shows what can be achieved when a community comes together – and was a great reminder of the importance of looking after our local communities and helping keep New Zealand beautiful.

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

It’s a garden like no other. A labour of love for the last 20 years, it is filled with the unexpected. Toy dinosaurs nestle amongst ferns, there’s a fairy garden, brightly coloured fences, bird feeders made out of repurposed soup ladles, a makeshift glasshouse with a chandelier in it, and trinkets everywhere.

Neighbourhood kids love exploring the whimsical wonderland that Tinna’s created, but the garden also serves a more serious purpose. It’s filled with fruit trees and vegetables which Tinna uses to make meals for her elderly neighbours each week.

She also uses the produce from her garden to help feed the homeless. Tinna’s work with the homeless has earned her civic awards – and a royal encounter with Princess Anne.

Tinna says she spends hours each day tending to the garden and can almost live off the land. To keep costs down she grows most of the plants from seeds or cuttings and makes her own compost – ‘you have to layer it, wet and dry, like lasagne’’ she tells us.

“It is hard work, and you just have to keep at it and at it, but my garden has saved me.’’

By age 15, Tinna had lost both her parents and she has endured more than her fair share of struggles in life. She lives with her 19-year-old son, who is severely autistic and will never be able to live independently.  It’s challenging, but the garden brings Tinna respite.

She’s got some chickens in a coop that she made herself and she barters the eggs they lay for gluten-free bread for her son, who has severe food allergies.

Tinna loves bartering her fresh produce for things she needs and wishes more people did that.

She doesn’t like to see things go to waste so when people toss things out that could be put to good use, she is quick to claim them. She puts her own creative twist of them before putting them to good use in either her garden or her home.

Step inside Tinna’s home and you are greeted by a patchwork of colour – it is full of things that she has picked up over the years and given a quirky make-over.

Tinna says she draws strength and happiness from helping others – it’s all about being emotionally rich.

“The most important thing is to practice being grateful, to practice being happy and don’t strive for what other people have. Appreciate the tiny little things and reach for emotional riches, not financial riches.’’ 

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

Due to a permanent illness, Laura relies on a wheelchair to get around – which was difficult in her previous home.

“It was hard to move through the house in my wheelchair, so I didn’t feel like I could really do much and relied on my partner being around to help me,” Laura explained.

But since moving into an accessible home tailored to her needs, Laura’s day-to-day life has been transformed. Her new home boasts wider hallways, an accessible shower, and a kitchen she can easily use.

“I feel like a person again,” Laura says with a smile. “This new home allows me to embrace my capabilities, not my limitations. Now I can get up, get dressed, and get out the door onto a bus without help, just like everyone else.

“It’s so wonderful to take a shower by myself, to move around my house freely. The independence it’s given me is incredibly liberating.”

And the move hasn’t just been life-changing for Laura – it’s also brought new opportunities for her partner, Harry, who could start a new job because Laura no longer needed him home 24/7 to support her. “It’s great – a very welcome benefit,” adds Laura.

The new home is part of a block with five accessible Kāinga Ora homes which are close to the hospital and require minimal maintenance. Moving from a stand-alone home to now being part of a community has also made a significant difference in Laura and Harry’s lives.

“Harry has started a community garden in front of our house where he grows veggies for everyone to pick from. Our neighbours really appreciate it, and it feels good to make a difference and support our local community,” says Laura.

Laura is determined she wouldn’t be in her new home without the ongoing support and efforts of her Housing Support Manager, Leah.

“We worked together with Laura’s health professionals and the Kāinga Ora placement team to move Laura and her partner because their previous home wasn’t fit-for-purpose,” says Leah.

“I noticed lately that Laura is playing music again – which she hasn’t done for a long time. This really tells me that Laura is happy, I feel this new home has given her a new lease on life,” adds Leah.

And Laura couldn’t agree more.

“Independence isn’t just about doing things alone,” Laura reflects. “It’s about having the choice to do so. And thanks to Kāinga Ora, I have that choice,” ends Laura.

“I feel like the sun is shining in our lives again.”