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Plans for 100+ new Rotorua Kāinga Ora homes reassessed after review,
300+ still promised
(HTM) Source
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A further 90 homes were contracted to be delivered before June 20,
2026, for a total of 307 confirmed on the way.
Kāinga Ora was planning to build 19 homes between 31 to 39b Matthew
Place. It's not yet clear which homes will still go ahead. Photo /
Andrew Warner
Healey said 110 homes previously planned for the city were now being
"reassessed".
A project map on Kāinga Ora's website details homes planned in Rotorua
and what stage they are at, but a Kāinga Ora spokeswoman said it was
no longer entirely accurate given the recent changes.
Healey said the agency could not confirm which projects would go ahead
or be paused.
"Some of these decisions will be made in the next few weeks and we
will keep the community informed."
Healey said further development for the region was being assessed as
Kāinga Ora worked through decisions about its future social housing
pipeline to "ensure best value for money".
It did not necessarily mean all 110 homes would be scrapped.
Ten new homes were planned at 38 to 40 Meadowbank Cres. Whether they
will go ahead is yet to be determined given a recent Kāinga Ora
review. Photo / Andrew Warner
"A number of these developments will proceed as we confirm value for
money and alignment with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development
priority locations through our reassessment process."
She said Rotorua was one of the priority areas in the Public Housing
Plan and Kāinga Ora was committed to meeting housing targets in the
area.
Kāinga Ora has previously confirmed 24 apartments in two three-storey
buildings planned for the corner of Ranolf St and Malfroy Rd were
under assessment.
The Government has made several changes at Kāinga Ora and signalled
more would be on the way after May's highly critical review led by Sir
Bill English.
How new three-storey Kāinga Ora apartments on the corner of Ranolf St
and Malfroy Rd were planned to look.
It concluded the agency was underperforming and not financially
viable. The agency pushed back, saying it was financially sustainable
and some draft findings were incorrect.
Kāinga Ora announced on Monday its chief executive Andrew McKenzie had
resigned as the Government's changes to the agency's role were not
what he "signed up for".
The Government has promised those in contracted emergency housing in
Rotorua will get priority for the new social homes as part of its
election promise to end emergency housing motels within two years.
Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka previously told the _Rotorua
Daily Post_ it was anticipated about two-thirds of new homes being
delivered between now and the end of next year would be made available
to those in contracted emergency housing.
Kāinga Ora originally planned two homes at 3 Garnet Place but is yet
to confirm if the development will go ahead. Photo / Andrew Warner
Tony Bradley of TPB Properties, which has done two large-scale
residential building projects for Kāinga Ora, said there would have
been a lot of tradespeople out of work if not for Rotorua's latest
social housing building boom.
"If it wasn't for the Government doing what they were doing in the
last year, there would be a lot of hurt going on but it had to slow up
really, they couldn't keep building at the same pace."
Bradley had just finished 20 apartments on Lake Rd and was building 15
apartments on Fairy Springs Rd. Both developments were under contract
with Kāinga Ora, with ownership being transferred to Kāinga Ora on
completion.
He said it would be an uncertain time for many tradies until Kāinga
Ora formalised its new plan.
"The brakes have been put on."
His business had only planned to do the two residential developments
so would go back to its core business of commercial developments.
"We needed houses so I thought I would get involved because I could do
it."
Kāinga Ora had originally planned 16 homes between 22 and 32 Kawaha
Point Rd but it will not yet confirm the locations of which
developments are being reassessed. Photo / Andrew Warner
Hepburn Electrical owner Tony Feek said his company had picked up
contracts during the past year which helped during a "lull" from an
economic slowdown, but had other work on the books.
"It's not the golden goose we will chase but it was keeping us busy …
We haven't employed more but it did fill a potential lull during an
uncertain time."
He said he was not sure what the future work looked like given
commercial and domestic jobs had "slowed right down" and there was
talk of reduced building in schools and social houses.
"It's a difficult time for all. It doesn't help having Kāinga Ora pull
back but on the other hand it wasn't something Rotorua particularly
wanted as it was giving us a certain branding."
# New homes for the eastern side of Rotorua
The first new Kāinga Ora homes on the east side of Rotorua have been
officially opened.
The five two-bedroom, double-storey duplex homes on Wharenui Rd,
Ōwhata were blessed by Ngāti Te Roro-o-te-Rangi kaumātua Paraone
Pirika last Monday.
Families were in the process of being matched to the homes and signing
tenancies.
An artist impresson of the new homes on Wharenui Rd.
Kāinga Ora Bay of Plenty regional director Darren Toy said at the time
of the opening that the homes were **** well connected to schools and
shopping centres.
"These homes will be welcomed by the five whānau who will be moving in
over the coming weeks. We continue to work closely with MSD [Ministry
of Social Development] and [housing service hub] Te Pokapū to reduce
the use of emergency housing motels in Rotorua."
**Kelly Makiha** **is a senior journalist who has reported for the
Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police,
court, human interest and social issues.**
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