Kāinga Ora urged to halt pre-election sale of empty Wellington state houses

Housing and social service organisations in the capital are demanding that Kāinga Ora's chief executive stops the sale of 36 empty state homes in Strathmore before the election.

The agency recently revealed it was putting the worn-down blocks on Nuku Street [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/community/1596920/kainga-ora-decision-to-sell-off-wellington-housing-blocks-disappoints-locals on the market with a deadline sale of 21 October, about two weeks before election day.

Ten organisations, including Wellington City Mission, Downtown Community Ministry, Pōneke Public Housing Futures, Renters United, and the Catholic Archdiocese, have written an open letter to Kāinga Ora chief executive Tracey Taylor urging a halt to the sale.

Strathmore Housing Action's Lizzie Pringle said it was "strange" the government was pursuing a deadline sale so quickly.

"With an election just weeks away that could dramatically change government plans for public housing and Kāinga Ora's mandate, it's irresponsible and frankly strange for the agency to be proceeding with a controversial sale.

"We urge Kāinga Ora to press pause on this deadline sale and at least wait to see who the next Minister of Housing will be," Pringle said.

Pringle said the decision to sell comes at a time when more than 600 households in Wellington are waiting for public housing.

Some of the units on Nuku street had been labelled "ghost houses" by local residents, after having sat empty for up to six years, along with Ngatiapa Street where plans stalled last year following after a reset of the agency - Kainga Ora has since promised to re-develop this site with 37 homes.

Downtown Community Ministry chief executive Natalia Cleland said the organisation was struggling to find decent houses for homeless Wellington families.

"As a community, we are in acute need of more decent, affordable housing to address our housing and homelessness crisis."

The letter calls on Taylor to withdraw the sale of 4, 6 and 8 Nuku Street and work with whichever incoming government to explore future public housing options.

In a statement, Kāinga Ora's regional director for Greater Wellington, Sarah Willson, said the agency had no plans to review the sale of the properties.

"We decided to sell the properties after careful consideration and exploring several options for the site that showed it was not financially viable to deliver new social housing there."

Willson said the sale money will be reinvested in new social housing that better meets tenants needs, and reinvesting these proceeds was an important part of its housing renewal programme.

"We understand the local community's desire for more social housing in Strathmore Park. While it is not financially viable for us to redevelop the Nuku Street site, we remain committed to delivering modern homes in the area."

Willson said the 37 new homes on Ngatiapa Street are expected to be built in 2028, after resource consent is lodged next year.