Public housing agency Kāinga Ora is planning to build more than 70 new homes in communities across east Auckland.
According to a website that tracks its work, among them is six homes that will be a mix of multi-level duplex, terrace and stand-alone houses at 341 Bucklands Beach Road and 122 Gills Road.
The homes are expected to be completed by July next year.
It’s building nine new homes at 122-124 and 128 Cascades Road in Pakuranga.
The properties will be the same mix of styles as in Bucklands Beach and are due to be completed by October this year.
Kāinga Ora is building 13 new homes at 140-144 Gossamer Drive in Pakuranga Heights.
They’re expected to be completed by January next and will be a mix of multi-level terrace properties and one stand-alone house.
It will build 13 new homes at 22-26 Cardiff Road and 6 Opal Avenue in Pakuranga.
They’re expected to be finished by February next year and will be a mix of multi-level duplex and stand-alone house.
At 10-12 Reeves Road, Pakuranga, it will construct 12 new homes to be ready by July next year.
They’ll be two-level terraced properties and 15 parking spaces will be constructed also.
The agency is building three new multi-level walk-up and terraced homes at 141 Edgewater Drive, Pakuranga, which are due to be finished this month.
It will construct three homes with four car parks at 19 Aurea Avenue, Pakuranga, to be finished by September this year.
And finally, Kāinga Ora will build 15 new one-bedroom walk-up apartments at 105 Pakuranga Road to be ready by October next year.
The agency has also recently redeveloped multiple sites in Pakuranga including in Carole Crescent, Tiaka Place, Edgewater Drive, Cardiff Road, Opal Avenue and Aurea Avenue.
It was planning to replace 13 existing homes with 38 new homes in those streets.
Kāinga Ora regional director central and east Auckland, John Tubberty, says one of the ways the agency helps meet the need for more social housing is by working with private developers.
“In this instance, the developer manages all aspects of the construction process and Kāinga Ora purchases the new homes upon completion.
“Kāinga Ora proactively works with the developer to ensure the homes are built to a high standard and meet the needs of our customers.”
For the development at 10-12 Reeves Road in Pakuranga, Kāinga Ora will purchase a new 12-unit development upon completion, he says.
“There are three four-bedroom [homes], two three-bedroom and seven two-bedroom homes.
“The three- and four-bedroom homes will be three storeys, and the two-bedroom homes will be two storeys.
“As this development already has resource and building consent the existing homes on the site will be demolished within the next couple of months.”
Kāinga Ora has faced criticism from politicians and members of the public around the country due to its reluctance to evict unruly, threatening or abusive tenants.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop recently said the Government is pleased to see the agency taking a stronger approach to managing such tenants.
“For far too long, a small number of Kāinga Ora tenants have ridden roughshod over their neighbours because, under Kāinga Ora’s previous Sustaining Tenancies Framework, people knew there were no consequences for their threatening, abusive or damaging behaviour.
“In March this year Ministers said enough was enough. We formally instructed Kāinga Ora to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework, and to strengthen their management of disruptive tenants.
“Three months on, it’s encouraging to see some green shoots of change beginning to emerge.
“For example, in the past three months 14 Kāinga Ora tenancies have been terminated due to disruptive behaviour or persistent rent arrears.
“Kāinga Ora also has an additional 25 applications to end tenancies for these reasons awaiting decisions by the Tenancy Tribunal.”
