Hastings Kāinga Ora housing upgrades a life-changer for residents

Mahora resident Allison Murray has a new lease on life after the Kāinga Ora home she has been living in for 33 years got some much-needed upgrades.

After constant illness and riddled with anxiety, Mahora resident Allison Murray is now happy and anxiety-free as her Kāinga Ora property underwent some much-needed renovations a few months ago.

The Hastings woman has lived in the Kāinga Ora property for 32 years. The home is more than 50 years old and needed some serious TLC.

Murray explained her house was “cold, often damp and the shower over the bathtub was a problem”, after she fell and hit her head.

“I used to be sick and at the doctor all the time, I kept getting the flu, I had asthma and bad anxiety, but now I am healthy and happy,” she said.

The Mahora home is only one of many properties currently a part of the new Kāinga Ora retrofit programme that aims to extend the life of older homes.

East North Island regional director Naomi Whitewood (Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi) explained the organisation’s aim is to extend the lifespan of suitable older houses by at least another 50 years.

In the past two years, 55 older Hawke’s Bay homes have been given a new lease of life and another 22 homes in Napier, Hastings, Flaxmere, and Havelock North are being worked on now and continuing into the next year when Kāinga Ora plans to retrofit more than 40 Hawke’s Bay homes.

Retrofitting a home takes four to five months and Kāinga Ora customers live in other accommodation while the upgrades are taking place.

Whitewood said “we support customers whose homes will be upgraded to move out before the work gets underway, and our intention is always to move them back in when the retrofit work is completed”.

With Murry’s anxiety she did not think she would be able to move out while her house was renovated, however, she said “I am glad I did because it has changed my life”.

Murry’s home is now warm and insulated, the windows are double-glazed, there is a new heat pump, and there is still room for the more than 100 dolls she collects. But most of all she loves her new “dream bathroom”.

“Even though I got to choose the colours of the walls and the carpet, I could not believe how Kāinga Ora had completely transformed my home.

“I just cried my eyes out when I saw it. They were happy tears. They took the house back to the shell and made everything new - including me,” Murry said.

The retrofit programme is a win-win for all involved, the East North Island Regional Kāinga Ora director explains.

“Our customers get a healthier, more energy-efficient home, which may include full insulation (walls, ceiling, and floor), double-glazing, improved airtightness, ventilation, and new heating.

“We may also upgrade bathrooms and kitchens, convert homes to a more open-plan living layout, and make the home more accessible for those with mobility challenges.”

Kāinga Ora believes retrofitting older homes is a more sustainable option than demolishing and building new ones. It adds value to the public housing stock, one of the Crown’s largest asset bases and is supplying a guaranteed stream of work for local contractors.