PHOTO: Prime Minister Chris Hipkins opens Govt’s largest public housing development. NEWSHUB
A Landmark Social Housing Project Unveiled in Central Auckland After a Four-Year Construction Period
Te Mātāwai, a pioneering development consisting of 276 apartment units located on Greys Ave in Auckland’s CBD, officially opened its doors this morning. The grand project, valued at $140 million, replaces a previously demolished seven-storey building comprising 87 units back in 2019.
A notable aspect of Te Mātāwai is the allocation of some apartments specifically for renters, marking a first in New Zealand’s public housing system. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, present at the inauguration, highlighted the significance of this milestone, emphasizing the government’s commitment to providing a warm, dry, and comfortable home for every Kiwi whānau.
Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Hipkins asserted that Te Mātāwai stands as the largest public housing development ever undertaken by the government. Encouraged by this accomplishment, he pledged to continue with similar high-density projects across Auckland to address the increasing housing needs.
Taking the opportunity to discuss the historical context, Hipkins attributed the growing demand for housing to actions taken by the previous National Party government, which he claimed had purged people from the public housing waiting lists. He vowed to maintain the momentum of housing development, contrasting it with the alleged track record of National Party governments that tend to halt such progress.
Minister of Housing Megan Woods elaborated on Te Mātāwai’s unique approach, combining social housing, temporary accommodation, and rental properties. This innovative mix, while a novel concept in New Zealand, was designed to foster a diverse and cohesive community by bringing different groups of people together.
Woods admitted that advocating for this approach required convincing her colleagues, but ultimately, the vision of a more inclusive and integrated community prevailed. Despite the various tenant types coexisting within the development, renters would be housed separately in one of the three towers comprising the complex.
With confidence in Te Mātāwai’s potential to deliver positive outcomes for its tenants, Prime Minister Hipkins commended the project’s best-practice design, which draws from both local and international evidence to ensure a successful and harmonious living environment. As a testament to the government’s dedication to addressing housing challenges, Hipkins revealed that since 2017, they had already delivered 13,305 public housing units through various developments, with Te Mātāwai being the latest addition and a groundbreaking experiment in housing diversity.