Homes of Choice, a community housing provider for disabled people, is thrilled to announce the availability of 27 brand new apartments in central Wellington.

The apartments are part of a larger social housing development project spearheaded by Kirva Trust, which aims to provide permanent housing with wraparound support for those most in need.

The Frederick Street building has a total of 75 apartments, which will be offered to tenants of social housing providers like Emerge Aotearoa Housing Trust and Homes of Choice. Like any community, the residents will be a diverse mix of people, including disabled people who have experienced homelessness or emergency housing. What’s common to them all, however, is the desire to have a place to call home.

Aneta Rangirangi, National Tenancy Operations Manager at Emerge Aotearoa Housing Trust, says that affordable, secure, warm housing is a key foundation for health and wellbeing.

"We believe housing is a human right, not a privilege… Our mahi contributes to everyone having a place to call home, therefore, we are excited to be a partner within this project to provide affordable, secure and warm housing and work in partnership with supported services focusing on the health and wellbeing for all."

Homes of Choice General Manager Ratenesh Sharma says the availability of these apartments will provide "much-needed housing options" for disabled people in the area.

"For many disabled people, finding a home that meets their needs is extremely difficult. Access to suitable housing is a key enabler for disabled people to live their lives of choice, so we’re looking forward to being able to offer sustainable tenancies that will make a lasting difference in people’s lives."

The building is bright, modern and thoughtfully designed to ensure a safe, secure and welcoming environment for the residents. Each unit is a comfortable 50 square meters, with an additional five square meter deck, and the ground floor lobby has a communal space that will host concierge and tenancy staff.

The emphasis on quality living extends beyond just size and aesthetics, as the building has targeted a commendable ‘6’ Homestar rating, with energy-efficient lights, water-efficient fittings, and solar panels providing power for the hot water heaters and lifts.

The site also encompasses a green space that will be utilised by the wider community. The new public park, which is currently in draft stages, will be an open space where people can gather, relax and enjoy the natural environment.

This development is one of the first of its kind in Wellington, but similar integrated housing projects overseas have been shown to contribute to reduced inequality, greater social cohesion and better health outcomes for all.

Spectrum Foundation CEO Sean Stowers is excited to see the positive impact it will have. "Empowering access to affordable housing is crucial in enabling disabled people to achieve equitable outcomes. This inner-city development offers a fantastic opportunity for disabled people to live independent and fulfilling lives whilst receiving the support they need to achieve their goals."

The focus now is on finding the right tenants. "We want to be able to provide stable living environments, to support people to build positive relationships and to establish a sense of community, so getting the right mix is key," says Sharma.

"We’ve appointed a tenancy manager who will help us to select tenants, and we’ll work closely with Emerge Aotearoa Housing Trust to ensure that sustainable, long-term tenancies are offered to those most in need.

"We’re looking forward to seeing the positive outcomes of this development, and expanding our services to establish more progressive, innovative, and integrated housing options that adapt to the evolving needs of the community."

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