Construction underway on 16 new Housing New Zealand homes

Construction well underway on 16 new Housing New Zealand homes in Hamilton

Construction of 16 new Housing New Zealand homes in Hamilton is well underway. The new homes will be ready for tenants by the end of the year.

The new homes at 5 – 11 Korimako Street will be warm, dry and energy-efficient two-bedroom homes built to modern standards. All of the new homes will have double glazing, internal garages and landscaping.

“We’re really excited about the new homes, which will be ideally suited for older people living alone, or small families. They’ll be easy access and are located close to public transport and shops,” Housing New Zealand’s General Manager Asset Development Leonie Freeman says.

Korimako Street resident Lindsey Jordan is impressed with the pace of the development.

“Housing New Zealand dropped off a factsheet in March with some information about their plans for Korimako Street, and I’ve been very impressed to see they’ve been keeping to their timeframes. The builders seem on track to finish by the end of the year, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what the new homes will look like,” Mrs Jordan says.

The redevelopment responds to the need for more smaller social housing homes in the city. Hamilton is an area of relatively high demand for Housing New Zealand homes, particularly for one and two-bedroom properties.

The new homes are replacing four three-bedroom homes that were no longer fit-for-purpose and did not make the best use of the land.

“Generally, Housing New Zealand has too many three bedroom homes and not enough smaller or larger homes. We’re continually looking at how we can best meet demand, and in this case we see this as an ideal use for this underutilised site,” Ms Freeman says.

Housing New Zealand worked one-on-one with the previous tenants to find them new Housing New Zealand homes that suit their needs, and also helped them with their relocation and power reconnection costs.

Three of the four homes that were previously on the site are being transported to Spring Hill Prison, where they will be modernised by inmates before being relocated to an area with high demand for three-bedroom homes.

This joint initiative with the Department of Corrections allows Housing New Zealand to provide housing for those most in need while also helping prisoners develop trade skills that will increase their chances of gaining employment after release.

Housing New Zealand has just over 3,000 properties in Hamilton City. Over the past year we have housed over 250 customers and their families in the area from the social housing register managed by MSD.

ENDS

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