Sale of pensioner flats at Mangawhai put on hold

A decision on the ownership of the pensioner flats in Mangawhai has been put on hold due to coronavirus. Photo / John Stone

Two buyers have shown interested in the Kaipara District Council-owned pensioner flats at Mangawhai but a decision on the winning bidder is on hold due to coronavirus.

In November, the council called for expressions of interest from community housing providers to take over ownership of 24 houses on Fagan Pl at Mangawhai Heads that are becoming unaffordable to maintain from rents that are significantly below market rates.

To add to the financial difficulties KDC, as a community housing provider, is ineligible to access Income Related Rent Subsidy offered by the Ministry of Housing Development.

Senior citizens who live in the flats fear they may have to move out if new owners take over or a decision was made to relocate the community houses, built in the 1980s, to another location.

KDC spokesman Ben Hope said the expression of interest was extended to late January and two applications were received.

They have yet to be evaluated and councillors were expected to discuss the applications at their meeting on Wednesday this week but that's been put on hold.

Hope said at this stage, KDC could not release the names of the applicants due to commercial sensitivity.