Kāinga Ora selling 36 empty social homes in Strathmore

Report from RNZ by Ellen O’Dwyer
Kāinga Ora is selling 36 social homes in the Wellington suburb of Strathmore.

Units in the two blocks on Nuku Street have been empty for up to six years, and plans for 39 new homes on the site were stopped in 2025 following a nationwide reset of the agency.

Kāinga Ora regional director for greater Wellington Sarah Willson said redevelopment did not make financial sense.

“After assessing these options, it became clear that building new social housing on the site was not financially viable. While redevelopment doesn’t make financial sense for us, others may see the potential in this well-located site,” Willson said.

The 36 properties had reached the end of their life, and a deadline sale was scheduled for 21 October.

Earlier this year, Kāinga Ora said it would proceed with a development on Ngatiapa Street – a cul-de-sac where derelict blocks had also sat vacant for years. A planned development of 49 homes is being scaled back to 37 homes, with construction not expected to begin till 2028.

Lizzie Pringle, a resident and member of Strathmore Housing Action, said she was disappointed Kāinga Ora was selling the Nuku Street homes.

“There’s over 600 households in Wellington of people waiting for houses.

“Look at this site, it is perfect for a Kāinga Ora block to go up there, so [we] really, really want to see that not sold privately.”

Strathmore is close to a good primary school, has regular buses and is a tight-knit community with a long history of social housing, Pringle said.

“It’s public land, it should stay for public housing … it doesn’t make sense to me when people desperately need homes in Wellington.”

She said she would be raising concerns at an election housing forum on 10 October and still hoped the agency would consider not selling.

Willson said the money from the Nuku Street flats would be used for its housing renewals programme to provide better homes for current tenants.

Iwi had been offered the site under a Right of First Refusal process but had not bought it through that process.