Council to consult on pensioner housing sale
Friday 16 December 2017
Waipa District Council has confirmed it will consider selling its pensioner housing complex on Palmer Street in Te Awamutu to local housing charity, Habitat for Humanity Central North Island (CNI).
Habitat already owns and operates Freeman Court, a supported independent living complex next to the Palmer Street units.
Today's in-principle decision means Council will proceed with formal consultation around the potential sale. This will take place in March next year. A final decision cannot be made until the consultation process is complete.
Mayor Jim Mylchreest said the sale would be a win-win situation for existing tenants and for the wider community.
If the sale does go ahead, tenants will be guaranteed a unit for life with rents at or below market rate. If tenants wanted to move, they would be offered a priority place at any of Council's other pensioner housing units, including brand new units to be built in and around Te Awamutu from the proceeds of the sale.
It also means we can increase the district's pensioner housing stock. Given our district's aging population, that's now more important than ever.
The council already has 127 pensioner housing units in its district housing 138 tenants. Tenants pay market rates for the units; rents are not subsidised by ratepayers.
Estimates suggest that the sale of the Palmer Street complex could net the Council $1.7 - $1.9 million.
For more information, contact: Natalie Palmer 027 807 3174