Waipā deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk, mayor Susan O’Regan and property services manager David Varcoe check out plans for 10 new pensioner housing units.
Site work is about to start on pensioner housing units in Cambridge.
Ten one-bedroom units will be built in Leamington, next to the council’s Vaile Court housing for the elderly complex, which has 17 tenants.
Funding for the united was confirmed in 2018 and it was planned to have the units occupied by late 2020.
“Since then, the world has been turned upside down with Covid and subsequent supply chain issues,” Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan said.
It is hoped building work will commence in November.
“Waipā is one of few councils in New Zealand which still provides housing for older people in the community, and I’m really proud that we are continuing to invest in this space,” O’Regan said.
“But our policy makes it very clear that it must be self-funded, meaning this build will not be subsidised by other ratepayers.”
The units will be constructed to a six Homestar rating, so they will be warmer, drier and healthier and cheaper to run than some other new builds.
The units will be leased to Habitat for Humanity to manage, initially for 10 years with a five-year right of renewal.
Habitat for Humanity will select tenants and manage the complex. The existing Vaile Court units will continue to be managed by council.
Waipā District Council provides housing for the elderly for 107 people in seven complexes. There are 65 people on the waiting list for a place in a council-owned unit.
Artist’s impression of pensioner housing.
