Kāinga Ora's Castor Crescent development. Photo / Jack Crossland
Twenty-nine Porirua families will have Christmas day in a brand new home.
This morning Kāinga Ora held a blessing at its Castor Crescent development, where it opened 29 brand new two- and five-bedroom homes.
Families currently in emergency housing will move into the homes during the coming days.
Porirua City has close to three thousand state housing units, and the Castor Crescent development is part of Kāinga Ora's 25-year revitalisation plan.
Porirua City Mayor Anita Baker said for families moving in, it'll be a wonderful gift this Christmas.
"A lot of the families are currently living in motels with one room, so being able to get a house before Christmas will be amazing."
However, Baker said despite the good start, there's a long way to go.
"Until the Government can provide more funding and there are more developments on the ground, the process of building is taking a long time."
The original houses at the site were demolished in 2007 and 2008 and Labour List MP Hon Kris Faafoi has campaigned ever since, calling for replacements.
10 of the homes were opened in July and the remaining 14 are set to be ready for a February 2021 move in.
Labour MP for Mana Barbara Edmonds attended the opening and said although the new stock is a good addition, it needs to be a lot faster.
"We have people that have been on waiting lists for a long time but what's happened is an accumulation of lots of work."
She said the benefits the homes will provide families are endless.
"I think for any family, coming into a brand new home that's safe, dry that's got six stars in terms of sustainability, they're going to save in power bills and children won't suffer from the rheumatic fever that's common throughout the area."
Edmonds said that for the 29 families able to move in before Christmas, it will be a special way to end the year.
"Obviously every family has their own personal story, but all I know is if I was in the same position and moving into a brand new home, it would be a really nice Christmas."
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