A Wellington community is fighting to stop the sale of publicly owned housing land, warning that the loss of the Nuku Street site in Strathmore could undermine future housing opportunities for families already struggling to find affordable homes.
Lizzie Pringle, spokesperson for Strathmore Housing Action, joins Radio Waatea’s Dale Husband to discuss the campaign to keep the Nuku Street properties in public ownership and ensure local residents have a meaningful say in decisions affecting their community.
The campaign centres on the proposed sale of the Kāinga Ora properties at 4–8 Nuku Street, with community advocates calling on Housing Minister Chris Bishop to intervene before the land is permanently transferred out of public ownership.
The dispute comes amid growing concerns about Wellington’s social housing shortage, with more than 600 households reportedly on the city’s social housing register.
COMMUNITY DEMANDS A HALT TO THE SALE
Strathmore Housing Action is urging the Government and Kāinga Ora to pause the sale process and consider whether the site should be retained for future public housing development.
The deadline for offers has already passed, but it remains unclear whether Kāinga Ora has accepted an offer.
Pringle argues that the closure of the tender process does not necessarily mean the land must be sold immediately.
The community group wants the decision postponed until after the November 7 general election, allowing the incoming government to reconsider the site’s future.
Campaigners say the issue extends beyond the immediate financial return from selling the properties.
They argue that retaining publicly owned land provides opportunities to develop additional social and affordable housing in a city where demand continues to exceed available supply.
MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS JOIN THE CALL
Opposition to the proposed sale has extended beyond local residents.
Wellington Mayor Andrew Little, Deputy Mayor Ben McNulty and nine Wellington City councillors have written to Housing Minister Chris Bishop, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka and Kāinga Ora Chief Executive Tracey Taylor seeking intervention.
Labour and the Green Party have also called for the sale process to be paused.
Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty has requested that the decision be delayed so a future government retains the option of developing public housing on the site.
For Strathmore Housing Action, the growing political and community response demonstrates that the future of Nuku Street is a matter of wider public interest.
WHAT ABOUT THE FAMILIES WAITING FOR HOMES?
At the heart of the dispute is the ongoing shortage of affordable and public housing across Wellington.
Community advocates argue that selling public land could reduce the options available to address housing demand in the years ahead.
For Māori whānau, the debate is particularly relevant given the continuing challenges associated with housing affordability, overcrowding and access to secure accommodation.
The availability of suitable public housing can make a significant difference to families experiencing financial hardship or housing insecurity.
The Nuku Street campaign also raises broader questions about the role of Kāinga Ora and whether publicly owned land should be retained for future housing needs.
While selling underused or surplus properties can release funding for other housing priorities, opponents of the Nuku Street sale question whether the long-term value of the site has been adequately considered.
PUBLIC LAND, PUBLIC VOICE
Pringle and Strathmore Housing Action are also challenging the way decisions about public housing assets are made.
The group wants local residents, community organisations and housing advocates to have a greater opportunity to contribute before decisions with potentially lasting consequences are finalised.
Campaigners are questioning whether selling the site in the current property market represents the best long-term value for taxpayers.
They argue that once publicly owned land is sold, acquiring replacement sites could become more difficult and expensive.
The dispute highlights the tension between short-term asset management decisions and the need to plan for future housing demand.
It also raises questions about the extent to which local communities should be involved when public assets are considered for sale.
HOUSING BECOMES AN ELECTION ISSUE
With the general election approaching, the Nuku Street dispute has become part of the wider political debate over housing policy, public ownership and the responsibilities of government.
For Strathmore Housing Action, the immediate priority is preventing an irreversible decision before the election.
The group maintains that pausing the sale would allow time for further scrutiny, community engagement and consideration of alternative uses for the land.
Whether Kāinga Ora or the Government will agree remains uncertain.
For Lizzie Pringle and the residents campaigning to save Nuku Street, the issue is about more than a handful of properties. It is about protecting public land, ensuring communities have a voice and preserving opportunities to provide secure housing for future generations.
Dale Husband speaks with Lizzie Pringle about the campaign, the response from political leaders and why Strathmore residents believe the Nuku Street site should remain in public ownership.
Background: Hands Off Nuku Street — Pressure Mounts on Housing Minister to Halt Wellington Public Housing Sale
#RadioWaatea #WaateaNews #DaleHusband #LizziePringle #StrathmoreHousingAction #NukuStreet #Strathmore #Wellington #KaingaOra #PublicHousing #SocialHousing #HousingCrisis #AffordableHousing #MaoriHousing #WhanauHousing #HousingAffordability #ChrisBishop #TamaPotaka #AndrewLittle #CommunityAction #PublicLand #HousingRights #Election2026 #NZPolitics #Aotearoa
