Speed of new state house builds in Hastings questioned

The new homes are fully insulated, have double glazing and heat pumps. Photo / Kāinga Ora

Labour's and National's Tukituki electorate candidates have clashed over the speed of public housing builds after nine new state houses were blessed and opened in Hastings on Tuesday.

The new homes are part of a 44 home Kāinga Ora development in the Hastings suburb of Raureka.

Tukituki MP Lawrence Yule said that while the delivery of state homes was positive, he was critical of the speed at which promised housing has been delivered.

"Any new house, new state house, is a good state house, but it's not enough," Yule said.

"Effectively, I think in Hastings the Government would have built 20 houses in three years despite the fact there has been a lot of vacant land and the fact they've actually had to knock some houses down to build those. The net number is very small."

He said the growing wait list for state housing was also an issue.

The number of people on the public housing register in Hastings has grown from 70 in June 2016 to 567 in June 2020.

"While the Government promised a big gain before the last election, I'd have to say I'm very disappointed in the lack of delivery.

"We need to build more houses, I get that, but the pace of the build is too slow."

Labours' Anna Lorck said the development was not just about housing but about building a community on land which had sat empty - and which was going to be sold under the previous Government.

"You can't build houses overnight ... this is the greatest progress we have seen on the housing front in Hastings over the past decade."

Darren Toy, business development director place based approach, Kāinga Ora – homes and communities, said the new Hastings homes marked "good progress".

"We're delivering the homes in stages, helping provide homes to people and whānau in need as soon as we can.

"The completion of these nine homes will bring us to 16 homes completed at Raureka with the remaining 28 to be delivered in stages by early 2021," he said.

The new homes, which are a mix of one to five bedrooms, will be fully insulated, with carpets, curtains, double glazing and heat pumps.

As well as the nine homes opened on Tuesday, five were completed in late September which families are now moving into and two homes for transitional housing were delivered in mid-2019.

Kāinga Ora is working with partner agencies on a Hastings Place Based approach to deliver the homes.

"The strength of the Hastings Place Based approach is key agencies working together, and collaborating to provide a range of housing for low-moderate income households," Toy said.

As part of this approach an additional 40 or so homes will be provided through papakāinga housing, a Community Housing Provider, and an iwi development.

By the end of 2021, Kāinga Ora aims to have delivered 160 extra warm, dry, quality homes in Hastings.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was exciting to have these homes ready for families to move into.

"Two years ago we were at this site and realised how quickly we needed to build these homes - which are making it possible for people to move out of motels."

The opening was attended by Hazlehurst, members of Ngati Kahungunu, Kāinga Ora staff and local officials.