Rachel Boyack

PHOTO: GERI SHEPPARD/SUPPLIED Rachel Boyack says she sees housing as the “highest need” in the Nelson electorate, which includes Richmond.

Seven state houses are to be built in Richmond by July as part of planned rollout of almost 60 new homes across the top of the south.

The announcement comes as waiting lists for those eligible for state housing in the region are at record levels, and advocates say people face desperate situations, including living in cars.

New Crown agency Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities this week announced plans for the multimillion-dollar construction of “at least seven new homes for tenants and their whānau” in Tasman District this financial year, which ends on June 30.

Kāinga Ora was established on October 1, bringing together the people and resources of KiwiBuild, Housing New Zealand and its development subsidiary HLC. It owns 160 homes in Tasman District.

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