www.thepost.co.nz Open in urlscan Pro
2600:1413:1::1734:abea  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

PoliticsNewsPuzzlesBusinessLife & cultureOpinionWorld newsSportYour
WeekendSundayDeath notices
ADVERTISEMENT/ WHAKATAIRANGA

Whakatairanga ki Puna
Monday, August 28, 2023

Wellington
10°C
11°C / 6°C
Log InSubscribe
NewsPoliticsLife & cultureOpinionBusinessSportPuzzles



CENTRAL WELLINGTON FLATS LEASED BY KĀINGA ORA SAT EMPTY FOR MONTHS

Erin Gourley


August 25, 2023

The vast majority of the flats, leased for $250,000 a month, were empty until
May this year.
MONIQUE FORD / The Post

One hundred central Wellington flats sat empty for months while Kāinga Ora
waited for wardrobes and a new swipe card system to be installed.

Kāinga Ora leased the Church St flats at a cost of $250,000 a month, to provide
a nearby option when the Dixon St flats closed for refurbishment and
strengthening.




The facilities manager of the flats was frustrated by the talk about a social
housing shortage in Wellington after the Loafers Lodge fire. Although the
apartment building had been leased by Kāinga Ora for months, most rooms remained
empty at the time.

The manager — whose name was redacted in the Official Information Act response —
wrote an email to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

“I’m really interested to understand why we constantly have this ‘housing
shortage’ thrown through the news, when there are literally dozens of empty,
clean, healthy home-compliant apartments that KO cannot seem to prioritise to
fill?”

There were 58 empty flats in the building at the time. Another seven units were
ruled out by Kāinga Ora because they did not meet requirements for natural light
and size.

A total of 816 people are on the social housing waitlist for central Wellington,
up from 765 in March, according to the most recent figures from the Ministry of
Social Development.

Kāinga Ora regional director Vicki McLaren said the flats had been unoccupied
because “significant work” was required to bring them up to standard.

The flats are on Church St, in central Wellington.
MONIQUE FORD / The Post

Wardrobes, CCTV, and an access swipe card system had to be installed at a cost
of $93,000, but delays because of “unforeseen supplier issues” meant the
upgrades were not completed until March this year — after nine months of mostly
empty rooms.

“With large complexes, we take care to make sure we are placing people into
homes that best meets their needs ... This can take time,” said McLaren.

The building was now 75% full and Kāinga Ora was working to fill the 27 empty
apartments.

ACT deputy leader Brooke van Velden asked Housing Minister Megan Woods about the
occupancy rate of the flats in a written Parliamentary question.

The answers showed that before the upgrades were completed in March this year,
Kāinga Ora was losing $200,000 a month in rent because of the untenanted
apartments. The vast majority of the apartments were empty until May, ten months
into the lease.

In total Kāinga Ora had lost $3.5 million on the unoccupied units up until June
this year.

Van Velden said the empty rooms showed the Government “talks a big game” while
“we have people living in hotels”.

“We have a Government saying we have a housing crisis and housing shortage and
spends hundreds of millions on Kainga Ora. They are sitting unoccupied.”

- The Post


SHARE



 * Manage your subscription
 * Contact us
 * About us
 * FAQ

 * Editorial code of practice and ethics
 * Advertise with us
 * The Post e-reader
 * Stuff.co.nz

BREAKING NEWS? Send your photos, videos and tip-offs to newstips@stuff.co.nz, or
call us on 0800 697 8833


 * Terms & Conditions
 * Privacy

Copyright © 2023 Stuff