Hon Dr Nick Smith

Minister of Housing

16 August 2013

Minister opens next stage of Nelson affordable homes

Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today officially opened nine two and three bedroom affordable social houses to be rented to low and middle income families in Nelson.

“The Brook development of nine houses at Waimarama Crescent is the Nelson Tasman Housing Trust’s fourth scheme and second to be completed this year. It increases its portfolio of affordable rental housing in the region to 32 homes,” Dr Smith says.

“The development has been half funded by the Government through a $1.3 million loan and supported by the Nelson City Council gifting the land.

“These new homes mean nine lower income families will have a warm, dry, energy efficient home at 80 per cent market rent. The homes have solar hot water systems, heat pumps and are fully insulated.

“This opening sees the Nelson Tasman Housing Trust more than double its social housing from 15 to 32 homes this year. This growth reflects the Government’s ambition to treble the size of the community social housing sector to provide 20 per cent of social housing by 2018.

“We are moving away from the old state housing model of all social housing being provided by the Government all in one suburb. The new approach of social housing being provided by community organisations supported by Government and being mixed through neighbourhoods will deliver better social outcomes. This change is being achieved by the Social Housing Fund and the Social Housing Reform Bill currently before Parliament.

“I am full of praise for the Nelson Tasman Housing Trust. They are at the cutting edge of change in social housing, are great value for money for the taxpayer support and are providing a good service for their tenants.

“Nelson’s housing problems are not as acute as Auckland or Christchurch but we have many lower income families struggling to get good quality homes at an affordable price.

“There is no magic bullet to our housing affordability problems and we need action on multiple fronts. The Government is growing social housing provision, increasing land supply, reining in council development charges on sections, scrutinising building material costs, reforming the Resource Management Act, and expanding Welcome Home Loans and the KiwiSaver First Home Deposit Subsidy. I am confident these measures will help to deliver the more affordable homes Nelson and New Zealand needs.”

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