State houses on big plots to be revamped
Housing NZ is bringing in private developers as part of a $45 million plan to redevelop state houses on big sections in Auckland.
18 August 2012
Eighty ageing state houses on large sections in Auckland are to be redeveloped in a Housing New Zealand programme costing around $45 million.
The 24 redevelopment projects, mostly in West Auckland, would be carried out in partnership with the private and community housing sectors over the next three years, Housing NZ said.
They would involve the building and refurbishment of at least 150 houses, some to be state rentals and the rest for private ownership and social housing providers, Housing NZ asset development manager Sean Bignell said.
State-housing levels in Auckland would remain about the same.
"We want to replace these 80 old state houses on very large sections with more contemporary housing options that fit into the broader community and are safe, affordable and use quality materials and modern construction methods," he said.
Housing NZ had a lot of old homes on quarter- and half-acre sections in Auckland, which was not sustainable given the city's housing shortage.
"We cannot keep holding and repairing properties that are an inefficient use of land and really are a barrier to achieving more and better housing options as is desperately needed in Auckland."
A panel of developers had been selected to tender for the projects as well as future opportunities.
The tenants living in the 80 rental properties had been informed. Some would be able to remain living there and the rest would be shifted to other state houses.
NZN
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