A coalition of housing advocates, churches and social service organisations is demanding Kāinga Ora immediately withdraw the proposed sale of three publicly owned housing sites in Wellington, warning that disposing of the land during a housing shortage could undermine future opportunities to provide affordable homes.
Nine organisations have joined forces to oppose the sale of land at 4, 6 and 8 Nuku Street in Strathmore Park, calling for the properties to remain in public ownership until after the November 7 general election.
The sites are being marketed through a deadline sale scheduled to close on October 21, just over two weeks before voters head to the polls.
The organisations argue that selling publicly owned housing land at a time when more than 600 Wellington households are reportedly waiting for public housing raises serious questions about the long-term management of public assets.
Nine Organisations Unite Against Sale
The coalition includes Wellington City Mission, Downtown Community Ministry (DCM), Pōneke Public Housing Futures, Renters United, Catholic Social Services, Wesley Community Action, Common Grace Aotearoa, the Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington’s Ecology, Justice and Peace Commission, and Strathmore Housing Action.
Together, they have signed an open letter to Kāinga Ora Chief Executive Tracey Taylor urging the agency to reconsider the proposed sale.
The letter calls for the land to be retained in public ownership while future housing options are assessed.
Strathmore Housing Action representative Lizzie Pringle, who organised the letter, says proceeding with the sale so close to the election is concerning, particularly when a change of government could lead to different public housing priorities.
The group argues that decisions involving valuable public housing land should not be rushed when the future direction of housing policy may be reconsidered following the election.
More Than 600 Households Waiting for Homes
According to the coalition, more than 600 households across Wellington are waiting for public housing.
The organisations say the shortage of suitable accommodation is already placing significant pressure on families, community organisations and homelessness services.
For households experiencing housing insecurity, the availability of publicly owned land is an important consideration in determining whether additional homes can be developed in the future.
The coalition argues that once public land is sold, opportunities to use it for future state housing developments may be permanently lost.
It is calling on Kāinga Ora to consider the long-term social value of the sites rather than proceeding with their immediate disposal.
Homelessness Services Warn of Growing Need
Downtown Community Ministry Housing First Manager Natalia Albert says frontline services continue to face significant challenges finding suitable homes for people experiencing homelessness.
DCM works with homeless whānau to secure accommodation while providing additional support to help people maintain stable housing.
However, the organisation says the shortage of appropriate homes remains one of the most persistent barriers to addressing homelessness.
Albert has raised concerns that selling Kāinga Ora sites during a housing shortage could further limit opportunities to increase the supply of affordable and public housing.
The organisation wants the Government and Kāinga Ora to retain the land and consider how it could contribute to meeting Wellington’s housing needs.
Public Forum Highlights Community Opposition
Concerns about the proposed sale were also raised at a public forum hosted by Strathmore Housing Action on Saturday.
The event brought together local election candidates, community members and housing expert Dr Rebecca Kiddle.
The discussion focused on the importance of public housing and the role stable accommodation plays in supporting family wellbeing, employment, education and community participation.
The forum highlighted concerns that housing should be treated as an essential foundation for wellbeing rather than something available only to those with sufficient financial resources.
For communities experiencing housing insecurity, the issue extends beyond property ownership to the ability of whānau to live in safe, secure and affordable homes.
Churches and Community Leaders Back Call
Wesley Community Action Director David Hanna has also supported the call to retain the land, emphasising the wider public benefits that can be generated when publicly owned sites are used for social housing.
Jim McAloon, chairperson of the Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington’s Ecology, Justice and Peace Commission, has questioned the decision to sell public housing land at a time when demand for stable accommodation remains high.
The organisations argue that publicly owned land represents an important resource for future generations and should be managed with long-term community needs in mind.
Their concerns reflect wider debates about the role of Kāinga Ora, the future of state housing development and the balance between managing public assets and responding to housing demand.
Housing Policy Under Scrutiny Ahead of Election
The proposed sale comes as housing affordability, homelessness and the future of public housing remain important issues in the election campaign.
Political parties have presented different approaches to housing supply, public investment and the role of Kāinga Ora.
For community organisations, the immediate concern is ensuring that land with potential for future public housing development is not lost before those policy debates are resolved.
The coalition is seeking a pause rather than the immediate development of the sites, arguing that retaining ownership would allow future housing options to be properly considered.
Kāinga Ora’s reasons for proceeding with the sale and its assessment of the sites’ future housing potential were not included in the material provided by the coalition.
Three Demands to Kāinga Ora
The open letter sets out three requests:
- Immediately withdraw the deadline sale of 4, 6 and 8 Nuku Street, Strathmore Park.
- Retain the properties in public ownership.
- Work with the incoming government to explore future public housing options for the sites.
The coalition says these steps would preserve opportunities to address Wellington’s housing shortage while allowing the next government to consider the future of the land.
With hundreds of households reportedly waiting for public housing in Wellington, the dispute raises a fundamental question about whether publicly owned land should be sold during a housing crisis or retained to support future generations.
The deadline sale is scheduled to close on Wednesday, October 21, ahead of the November 7 general election.
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