34 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Emerge Aotearoa T T Kim Newth Quality community housing critical Te Ara replaces five old flats with 18 modern units and was selected as a Community & Affordable Housing finalist in the Property Council New Zealand Awards 2024. By working to provide long term, good quality social housing, the Emerge Aotearoa Housing Trust is helping to address a critical need in New Zealand’s local housing market. An exciting achievement for the trust this year is gaining selection as a Community & Affordable Housing finalist in the Property Council New Zealand Awards 2024 for one of their housing projects in Ōtāhuhu. Called Te Ara, the project involved the demolition of old flats in Luke Street to make way for three stunning new buildings with 18 purpose-built one-bedroom social housing units. Signature Construction was Emerge Aotearoa’s building partner. The project was designed by TOA Architects, drafted by Wingates Architects, structurally engineered by Markplan Structural & Civil Engineers, with independent project management by Paul Miller, of PJM Projects. “Our focus is on growing our portfolio of long term social housing so people have a secure and safe place to live,” says Hope Simonsen, Emerge Aotearoa’s General Manager. “We have just over 400 properties in the social housing space across the country: we own 180 of those, lease others and work closely with private landlords as well. “The Luke Street development is one that we own. The five flats that were on that site were very old. We have replaced them with 18 modern new units and I think we landed on a really good footprint for them – 50sqm with balcony for the units above, and with an outdoor private area for the units below.” The internal layout provides open plan kitchen and dining, with a generously sized bedroom. Hope says the units are well-designed for natural light as well as being well-insulated. All the units are beautifully presented, with robust materials used. Some of the units also cater for people with mobility issues, with features such as wet area shower rooms, wide doorways and level entry access. There are currently around 25,000 households on New Zealand’s social housing register and Hope says around 80 per cent of the need is for one and two bedroom units. “We’re doing what we can to meet some of this huge demand for social housing. Good quality, long term social housing is just so important for people’s mental health, physical health and well-being.” Many of the residents now putting down roots at Te Ara came from transitional housing situations or were known to the trust because of their pressing housing needs. “Most were already living in the area and wanted to carry on living here, so as not be disconnected from their whānau in Ōtāhuhu.” Emerge Aotearoa Housing Trust has worked in collaboration with Signature Construction on two previous social housing projects before this one, and is now embarking on another similar development with them in Henderson, (where a small number of existing older units are to be replaced by nine new townhouses, mostly two-bedroom homes). “We know they will reliably deliver within budget and on time and they are a great, easy bunch of people to work with. They’re very aware of who we’re providing homes for and this aligns nicely with their own set of values.” Gareth Ready, CEO of Signature Construction, is thrilled that Te Ara is a finalist in the Property Council New Zealand Awards 2024. “We’re absolutely stoked – we haven’t put our hands up before to be in these awards, so it’s really exciting for the whole Signature team. Alongside our work for Emerge Aotearoa Housing Trust, we do a lot with Kāinga Ora and have a great team which is constantly growing; all we do is social housing (affordable) and we aspire to do it very well. “We appreciate the great relationship we Proudly supporting Signature Construction & Emerge Aotearoa sales@roofimprovements.co.nz (09) 267 3040 roofimprovements.co.nz
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