Haumaru Housing celebrates start of services

Saturday, 1 July 2017, marks the start of housing services provided by Haumaru Housing, the limited partnership between New Zealand charitable trust, The Selwyn Foundation, and Auckland Council, which has taken over operations of the council’s Housing for Older People portfolio.

The partnership has been formed to provide tenancy and asset management services associated with the council’s stock of 1,452* rental units for senior citizens, located in villages across south, north and west Auckland.

On their first day of operations, Haumaru Housing’s new team of community managers will be busy visiting villages and meeting their new tenants. The organisation’s General Manager, Gabby Clezy, will join the team in hand-delivering information and chatting to residents, along with colleagues in the facilities and property maintenance roles.

Gabby says: “After 18 months of planning and preparation, we’re delighted that everything’s now ‘all systems go’. Our team’s looking forward to providing an effective and responsive service to meet tenant needs, and to creating positive and inclusive communities that support people to live well in the comfort and security of their home.

“At Haumaru Housing, we intend providing outstanding social housing for older Aucklanders. Our focus is on safe, secure and affordable long-term tenancies for tenants, with the assurance of a quality service backed up by respected organisations experienced in the service needs and expectations of older people.

“As a New Zealand not-for-profit NGO, we aim to reinvest in the local community, unlocking value in land resources to increase housing options in the future, and retaining all surpluses to benefit older people in local neighbourhoods.

“We look forward to getting to know everyone in the months ahead and to making a real difference in the quality of housing and the level of service provided.”

‘Haumaru’ (pronounced Hoe-maa-ru) means ‘shelter, to provide a caring and safe haven for everything’ – and has associated meanings of protection, security and refuge – encapsulating the vision and objectives for the partnership and the quality and respectful service that tenants can expect to receive.

As a Community Housing Provider, Haumaru Housing will be able to access the Government’s Income Related Rent Subsidies scheme, which will provide valuable funding to help further improve services to tenants.

Application forms for Haumaru Housing homes are available to download at www.haumaruhousing.co.nz or by ringing 0800 430 101.
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Notes to editors:

* The total of 1,452 includes 1,412 existing units and 40 that are committed to being built in Wilsher Village in Henderson. Most units are in the south (686), followed by the north (458) and the west (308). Devonport-Takapuna has the largest concentration, with 274 units.

Housing for older Aucklanders to better meet their needs
The partnership arrangement for the Housing for Older People portfolio was part of a statutory consultation process for the amendment of Auckland Council’s 2015-2025 Long-term Plan. In December 2015, following a contestable process, The Selwyn Foundation was selected as the council’s preferred community housing partner for its portfolio of homes for older Aucklanders. It was proposed that Selwyn would partner with the council through a jointly owned company. Following a consultation process in June 2016, the council’s Governing Body approved the amendment (the partnership) in August 2016.

The main objective is to improve both the quality of housing for older people and the associated services provided to better meet their needs. Whilst Haumaru Housing will be responsible for managing the portfolio, the city’s urban development agency, Panuku Development Auckland, will lead the ongoing development, working with The Selwyn Foundation and the partnership and ensuring that the location and quality of the new homes address the needs of older people.

As a 51% shareholder, The Selwyn Foundation has three directors on the Haumaru Housing Board – Selwyn Board members, Helen Melrose and Vicki Sykes, and Selwyn CEO, Garry Smith. Matthew Harker and Kerry Hitchcock were appointed by Auckland Council following an external selection process. Helen Melrose is the Board Chair.

The Selwyn Foundation
The Selwyn Foundation is an independent New Zealand, Christian faith-based charitable trust providing services to older people and their families and has led the way in improving the quality of life of senior citizens for over sixty years. As pioneers of the retirement village model and of rest home care in New Zealand, it is uniquely experienced in providing residential care, independent retirement living and community day services for older people, and owns or manages a total of nine retirement villages across the upper North Island.

As a not-for-profit organisation, the Foundation reinvests any financial surpluses into the provision of additional facilities and charitable activities aimed at helping ageing people, with its charitable goals centred on alleviating the key problems of the lack of affordable housing, loneliness and social isolation and the effects of financial hardship.

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