North Canterbury public housing supply set to grow
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Kāinga Ora is redeveloping some of its properties in Kaiapoi and Rangiora to meet a growing demand for social housing in the Waimakariri district.
A recent report prepared for the Waimakariri and Hurunui District Councils highlighted a lack of adequate emergency and transitional housing and the difficulties of getting on Kāinga Ora’s waiting list.
Kāinga Ora Canterbury regional director Liz Krause said increasing the number of homes on sites in Kaiapoi and Rangiora meant more people could stay in their local area, close to transport options, schools, shops and other amenities.
‘‘When planning for new homes to be built, we carefully consider the designs so they work well and provide the best outcomes for the people and whānau who will live there, as well as the wider community.’’
Since the Canterbury earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, Kāinga Ora has built 73 new homes in the Waimakariri district.
New projects were under way Kaiapoi and Rangiora to meet the growing demand.
Two large sites in Princess Place and Williams St in Kaiapoi were being redeveloped, with seven large, older houses being replaced with 21 warm and dry homes.
The redevelopment of five sites in Church, Lindon and Tyler streets in Rangiora will lead to another 22 new homes built.
‘‘The brand new homes will replace older homes and be far better suited to the modern lifestyles of our customers,’’ Krause said.
‘‘All of these new homes will come with their own off-street parking and 15 will meet full universal design standards, meaning they can be adapted to be accessible for people of all abilities, at any stage of life.’’
Demolition of the existing buildings, site preparations and construction have begun for some properties, while the majority of the homes are expected to be completed by the third quarter of next year.
‘‘As we progress these redevelopments, we will keep neighbours, the local community and key stakeholders informed with updates on progress,’’ Krause said.
‘‘We’re really looking forward to construction starting and delivering these brand new homes to the Waimakariri community.’’
■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
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Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
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2% Other - I'll share below
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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