On The Up: Habitat for Humanity wins national award for Whangārei housing project

Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo helped to open the 22-home Warren Place development in August 2024.

Habitat for Humanity’s 22-house development in Whangārei has won a prestigious property award for its thoughtful design promoting collective responsibility.

The Warren Place social housing development in Maunu was opened in August 2024 to give Northland families stable and affordable rentals.

On Friday night, it was named the country’s best affordable housing project at the Property Council NZ Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards.

The development won the Community and Affordable Housing Property Award, sponsored by Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities.

Leonie Freeman, chief executive of Property Council NZ, said the development empowered families not just to survive, but to flourish within a nurturing community.

“Housing is far more than bricks and mortar; it’s the foundation for stability, dignity and opportunity. Warren Place demonstrates how affordable homes can act as catalysts for social wellbeing.”

Northland has a dire need for community housing because of severe housing deprivation, paired with low household incomes and an unemployment rate higher than the national average.

The site was built on a new road named after Warren Jack, the former director of Habitat for Humanity Northern.

Spanning 2777sq m, the development includes 22 homes alongside a shared community hub, featuring a children’s nature play area, outdoor seating, bike racks and parking, all arranged around a communal garden.

This space encourages residents to cultivate their own food and fosters shared stewardship for the care of the land and property.

Warren Place in Whangārei covers 2777sq m and includes 22 homes, children’s nature play area, outdoor seating, bike racks, parking and communal garden.

The development, near public transport routes, Hora Hora Primary School and Whangārei Hospital, has easy access to essential services and promotes a strong sense of community.

Freeman said a truly successful community was not just about where people lived, but how they lived together.

“By integrating shared spaces, natural environments and vital connections to education and services, Warren Place fosters a genuine sense of belonging — the kind of pride that transforms a neighbourhood into a home.”

The project is Whangārei’s first housing development to incorporate solar panels, helping to reduce power bills by 50% and lowering the community’s environmental footprint.

As a registered Community Housing Provider, Habitat for Humanity operates as a social landlord, allocating warm, dry and secure homes based on need.

Warren Place is part of the charity’s broader role in public housing in Northland, aimed at increasing access to decent housing by working with government agencies, councils and private developers.

The project was made possible through design and building by G J Gardner Whangārei and Ministry of Architecture + Interiors.

Other projects to be awarded excellence in the Community and Affordable Housing Property Award are the Hawaiki Papa Kāinga in Auckland and Te Kupenga in Ōtara, Auckland.

The awards are focused on efficient use of capital, alongside project innovation, design, user satisfaction and sustainability.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.