Listen Now: 
There’s a warning iwi looking to buy state houses may need to put a lot of work into bringing them up to an acceptable standard.
Ngarimu Blair from Ngati Whatua o Orakei Trust Board says the hapu is keen to pick up some of the 8000 homes the government wants to sell as a way to create a new sector of social housing providers.
He says Ngati Whatua bought 102 state houses 20 years ago as part of its Bastion Point Settlement, and it has now taken back the lease from Housing New Zealand and is upgrading them to rent to its members.
" Everyone who has lived in a Housing NZ house knows that they are not best quality and have not been managed or maintained that well over the years. So the houses that we have had returned we are spending a hell of a lot of money bringing them up to the standard that we think is right and fit for our people. There is a big cost for that " he says.
Ngarimu Blair says Ngati Whatua also wants to build affordable homes on its land, but must overcome the challenge of a shortage of skilled tradespeople and rising costs.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH NGARIMU BLAIR CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjU5MTk=
Copyright © 2015, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
RELATED NEWS
