Well done Mayor Justin Lester say the community housing
sector
23 February 2017
The community housing sector welcome the announcement by Wellington Mayor Justin Lester to increase the number of affordable and social homes in Wellington.
“We congratulate Wellington Council
on their announcement to build 750 units of social and
affordable homes,” says Community Housing Aotearoa Chief
Executive, Scott Figenshow. “We are pleased to
participate in the Mayors Housing Task Force and look
forward to working through the delivery partnerships in that
forum that will activate this supply across the range of
housing needed – across the housing continuum.”
“Wellington is facing some real housing constraints that are also affecting other areas in the region such as the Kapiti Coast and the Hutt Valley. Justin Lester’s new council shows real leadership and vision in tackling these issues now, before it gets to the same state as the housing situation in Auckland.”
The 750 units of social and affordable homes will be built in Wellington over the next three years, including at the Arlington site at the top of Taranaki street, and several others around the city.
“Targeting homes to be affordable for people on low to median incomes will meet the need for increased assisted rental and assisted ownership opportunities for Wellingtonians not currently able to get into social housing, and who pay more than 30% of their income on rent.”
The assisted housing area is one that local authorities and community housing organisations are seeing an increased demand for. “There needs to be more housing choices for this group so that we don’t find them living in garages in another three years, as we have in Auckland.”
Wellington City Council have shown
their continued commitment to all Wellingtonians becoming
well-housed through further development and delivery of
social and affordable housing, Scott Figenshow comments.
“Community housing organisations and developers will be
keen to collaborate with them.”
ends