Karakia marks the start of new homes for inner city Wellington

Led by Taranaki Whanui kaumatua Kura Moeahu, around 40 people joined Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities to bless and turn the soil ahead of building starting shortly.

Eighty studios and one and two-bedroom apartments will be built to help meet the need for in demand public housing for people in the inner city.

These will include 20 supported living units which will provide homes and wrap-around services for some of the city’s most vulnerable and homeless people, under the Housing First Scheme(external link).

Kāinga Ora Construction and Innovation Programme Director Jonathan Scholes, who turned one of the first sods, welcomed the milestone:

“It’s exciting to see work about to start on these much needed homes in inner city Wellington. Getting to this stage of the development is a testament to strong partnership working between Kāinga Ora and the Mount Cook community, Wellington City Council and other agencies, and Solari Architects and our build partner Hawkins.”

The warm, dry and well-designed new homes which are in keeping with the character of the area, replace 54 aging apartments. The design of the apartments will also include some brick elements, in recognition of the brick-making history of the area.

Construction of the homes will start in the coming weeks, with completion in early 2022.

The homes are the second of three significant housing developments in the area, alongside the completed Te Māra apartments and soon to get underway Arlington redevelopment.

Over the next few years 540 new homes are currently in different planning, feasibility or build stages across Wellington’s inner suburbs. This follows 192 homes being delivered for people in Wellington in the last two years to March 2020.

Taranaki Whanui kaumatua Kura Moeahu leads the karakia and sod-turning event