Vaile Court pensioner housing
The 10 one-bedroom units have been built next to Council’s existing 16 pensioner units on the corner of Thompson and Shakespeare Streets.
The units are now completed and the keys have been handed over to Habitat for Humanity, who are managing the tenancies.
The official handover of Vaile Court pensioner housing units on Friday, July 12 was attended by mana whenua, mayor Susan O’Regan, deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk, Habitat for Humanity, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Cambridge Community Board, Livingstone Building, Camex, APG Architects, consultants and council staff.
Pensioner housing
We own 103 pensioner housing units in seven complexes across Cambridge, Kihikihi and Te Awamutu, which are homes to 117 tenants. The units offer a home for retired people, over the age of 65 who comply with our criteria for subsidised rent.
Background
Vaile Court, situated on the corner of Shakespeare and Thompson Streets, in Leamington, will be developed from July 2023 to house ten new one-storey units.
The works will take place in three stages.
Stage one: Tree removal
In July some trees were removed, and the site prepared for further development. The trees are not native species and had been confirmed that they’re not home to any long-tail bats. Landscaping and planting will be done when the units are built.
Stage two: New driveway
The new entrance and driveway construction is underway and is expected to be complete by the end of September. There will be some impacts on the road with limited parking and access from time to time, with some single lane closures on Thompson Street.
Residents and those accessing Leamington Kindergarten will be able to enter the closed areas when it is safe to do so. Please be patient with the traffic management teams on site.
Stage three: Building the new units
We expect construction to start on the new units in November. This work will all be within the property boundaries so there should be minimal disruption. Habitat for Humanity will manage the new units for tenants that are over the age of 60 on behalf of Council, while Council will continue to manage the existing units.
The project is set to be complete by July 2024.
For more information on pensioner housing in Waipā, download our Pensioner Housing Policy 2017 document.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Council looking to build more pensioner housing units?
In 2017 Council reviewed its pensioner housing policy and made it clear that it is absolutely committed to providing and growing its housing for the elderly stock, both now and in the future.
The district is experiencing aging population growth which means that demand for affordable housing for the elderly is increasing.
Why are we developing this site and not others?
We own this property which already has sixteen pensioner housing units on the site. It’s also a great location being so close to shops, supermarket, Doctors and pharmacy in Leamington.
Who is Habitat for Humanity and what is their involvement?
Habitat for Humanity New Zealand (HfH) is a non-profit organisation that helps people build and improve a place to call home. As a community housing provider, they work alongside the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to deliver affordable rental options
They will manage the tenants in the new units. These residents will be 60 years old and over. HfH receive a rental allowance from the Ministry for Housing and Development for managing the tenancy agreements with residents. HfH will decide who gets allocated a unit - we will have no say on this. We will continue to manage the existing units.
How has this project been budgeted for?
Funding for the new units was signalled in Council's 2018-28 Long-Term Plan. The project will be funded from housing for the elderly reserves. There will be no impact on rates.
How can I get into one of these, or other properties?
To qualify for one of the new units, you must first be on Ministry of Social Developments housing register. To register, please call Work and Income on 0800 559 009.
If you are already on the housing register, then you will need to complete HfH’s expression of interest form
To apply for an existing Council unit, you need to complete and submit our application form.
Residential housing
We currently own and manage a small portfolio of residential houses. These properties are operated with a commercial focus and do not provide any form of subsidised rent to tenants.
These properties are advertised on Trade Me when vacant.
We do not plan to increase this portfolio unless further residential homes need to be acquired for future roading development.
For more information call our Customer Support Team on 0800 WAIPADC (924 723).