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Young families struggling to find a home will scream in despair: long lines at open houses, prices out of reach for most, a historic lack of supply, and many having to search further afield for a home.
Meanwhile, at the quiet end of Tauhinu Rd overlooking Wellington’s Miramar, half a dozen houses are empty and abandoned. They have been for many years.
Wellington City Council has plans to develop the area, possibly by demolishing the houses and building new ones.
But that could take some time.
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The houses on Tauhinu Rd have been empty for at least three years. One, damaged in a fire, has been abandoned since 2013. The tenants were moved to another location. They are among nine vacant properties in the council’s extensive portfolio of social housing.
The council said the tenants were moved from those houses, built in the 1940s and 1950s, because they were “unfit for occupation.” “They are small, cold, wet and have accessories and accessories that are past their expiration date,” said a spokesperson.
STENT / KEVIN THINGS
Tauhinu Rd resident Tracey Heemi in front of three empty municipal houses near her home.
Tracey Heemi rents a municipal house on the now quiet cul-de-sac. He has been there for 14 years and remembers the noise of children playing in the street and neighbors chatting.
Now he is concerned that the houses have been left in the hands of vandals and criminals.
“They have been stripped, someone has put a hi-vis on them, posing as a contractor, they have taken away the copper … they have been vandalized.”
And she’s upset that the owner, the city council, has done little to maintain the properties and keep the road tidy. The grass is long. Around the edges it looks like a green snowbank that threatens to engulf the few cars parked nearby. The mailbox of 136 is upside down and empty bottles are thrown everywhere.
“I’ve been at the council on when to send a contractor to maintain the lawn,” Heemi said. “They cheat me a bit.
STENT / KEVIN THINGS
Tall grass threatens to consume vacant and abandoned houses on Tauhinu Rd, Miramar.
“It’s probably another reason why they’re still empty, because they haven’t kept them.”
He is also concerned that the city council does not appear to have a plan for the future of the street and that there has been no communication with existing residents.
“They need to be more transparent about what is going to happen,” he said.
The council’s chief operating officer, Claire Richardson, said the council was “Looking for remodeling options for the site.”
“These options include developing the site ourselves, developing it with a partner, or divesting the site and using any income generated from the divestment to rebuild elsewhere within our City housing portfolio,” he said.
STENT / KEVIN THINGS
The roofs of many of the vacant houses on Tauhinu Rd are in good condition. But properties might need a bit of TLC elsewhere.
But no decisions will be made until “the first half of 2021,” Richardson said.
A spokesperson added that “if a decision were made to replace any of the existing units with new supply … any offer to relocate existing tenants would be an operational decision based on the needs of the tenant and the suitability of the home at that time. “.
After Stuff The reporter asked about the houses, the council said they would be “talking to all of our tenants to offer reassurance and support” and would ensure that “tenants are well informed throughout this process while decisions are being made.”
