In the last two years Auckland City has made a considerable commitment to pensioner housing in the city.

"The value of Auckland City's pensioner housing investment is substantial and in the vicinity of $76 million. It comprises 1672 units on 55 sites throughout the city," says Councillor Kay McKelvie, Chairperson of Auckland City Council’s Finance and Property Committee.

Councillor McKelvie says that since 1998 a policy has been developed to support the beneficial outcomes of affordable housing, to provide a range and mix of housing types, meet special housing needs and encourage agencies to work together in addressing housing issues.

"The pensioner housing plans are about to come to fruition, with a number of developments accounted for in the annual budget for 2001/2002," she says.

"In particular, investigations have shown that the New Windsor pensioner housing site in Avondale could be greatly improved and we are planning to spend nearly $3 million over the next three years to provide excellent facilities in an area particularly suited for housing for the elderly."

Thirty existing units at Rainford, Mt Roskill, are in poor condition and considered to be beyond economic repair. These units will be demolished over a two-year, period with 50 units of a better standard being transported from New Windsor. The transported units will be renovated and the site landscaped.

Seventy-two one-bedroom units will form a new village on the cleared site at New Windsor. Practical, innovative and cost effective designs will be used and the site will be professionally landscaped. The project will be staged over three years to minimise the impact on existing tenants and the need to move them while works are completed on each stage. Tenants are temporarily relocated to other pensioner housing sites owned by Auckland City and all relocation costs are covered by the City.

In addition the City has stabilised the rental costs to 25 per cent of net income in line with central government policy.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Councillor Kay McKelvie, tel: 846 7076 or 025 279 6448.

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