Timeline
Stage 1: July 2022–December 2022 (complete)
- Council decided on the design and set-up details for the CHP.
- First six CHP Trustee appointments made.
Stage 2: January 2023–August 2023 (complete)
- Final three CHP Trustees appointed.
- Chief Executive and senior staff for the CHP recruited.
- Employment change process for City Housing staff completed.
- CHP registration with the Community Housing Regulatory Authority completed.
- Housing lease agreement between the Council and CHP.
- Tenants informed of progress and introduced to the new CHP.
Stage 3: August 2023 onwards
- CHP takes over tenancy services and facilities maintenance from City Housing.
Background
The Council’s social housing service, City Housing, had long-standing financial challenges. In June 2022, following community consultation, the Council agreed to establish a CHP to help resolve these financial challenges.
A CHP enables:
- more new social housing to be built in Wellington
- access to the government's Income Related Rent Subsidy (IRRS) for new, eligible tenants, improving tenant wellbeing
- long-term resolution of City Housing’s financial challenges, at a lower cost to the Council and ratepayers.
A CHP is a regulated entity that provides social, affordable and/or community housing and is registered with the Community Housing Regulatory Authority (CHRA).
The Council still owns the majority of its properties and leases these to the CHP. The CHP, named Te Toi Mahana, took over tenancy management, activities, and maintenance on 1 August 2023.
As part of the set-up of Te Toi Mahana, the Council will gift it $10m of property and $23m funds, to help it build new social housing. A decision has not yet been made, on which properties will be gifted. A recommendation will go to the Council for discussion later in 2023.
The Council remains responsible for delivering the major housing upgrade programme (HUP2) that it has agreed with central government, and the implementation of Healthy Homes upgrades.
Tenants
Tenants of City Housing transferred over to Te Toi Mahana on their existing tenancy agreements and rent.
- Tenants will continue to have a tenancy advisor and access to the same supports and services that they received from City Housing.
- The Council’s core rental terms (including the Affordable Rent Limit subsidy, rent caps, and the 80+rent freeze) transferred across to Te Toi Mahana.
- A new tenant support fund will be set up, to help tenants who are experiencing financial hardship.
Information for tenants
Tenants of Te Toi Mahana should speak to their tenancy advisor.
Te Toi Mahana can be contacted in the following ways:
Phone: 0800 248 944
Email: info@tetoimahana.org.nz
Website: tetoimahana.org.nz
During the transition to Te Toi Mahana, we kept tenants informed via the tenant newsletter, drop-in sessions, tenancy advisors, mail, the Tenant and Stakeholder Feedback Panel, and via information sheets.