Work is underway to set-up and transition from City Housing to the CHP.
Work is proceeding in three stages:
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–July 2023
- Appoint final three CHP Trustees.
- Recruit Chief Executive and senior staff for the CHP.
- Complete employment change process for City Housing staff.
- Complete CHP registration with the Community Housing Regulatory Authority.
- Complete housing lease agreement between the Council and CHP.
- Inform tenants of progress and introduce the new CHP.
Stage 3: July 2023 onwards
- CHP takes over tenancy services and facilities maintenance from City Housing.
Background
The Council’s social housing service, City Housing, has 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 will enable:
- 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 will still own the majority of its properties and will lease these to the CHP. The CHP will take over tenancy management, activities, and maintenance.
As part of the set-up of the CHP, the Council will gift the CHP $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 to the CHP. A recommendation will go to the Council for discussion later in 2023.
The Council will remain responsible for delivering the major housing upgrade programme (HUP2) that it has agreed with central government, and the implementation of Healthy Homes upgrades.
Current tenants
Tenants of City Housing will transfer over to the CHP 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 currently receive from City Housing.
- The Council’s core rental terms (including the Affordable Rent Limit subsidy, rent caps, and the 80+rent freeze) will also transfer across to the CHP.
- The current rent freeze will stay in place until September 2023.
- A new tenant support fund will be set up, to help current tenants who are experiencing financial hardship
- We will let tenants know closer to the time of the CHP starting, of any action they need to take.
We’ll keep tenants informed via the City Housing tenant newsletter, drop-in sessions, tenancy advisors, mail, and make all relevant material available on this website.
The CHP Board and the Council are working on plans for the City Housing properties that are currently leased by other housing providers. Those providers will be updated when more information is available.
Future tenants
Once the CHP takes over, new, eligible tenants will have access to the government’s Income Related Rent Subsidy (IRRS). The IRRS caps tenants’ rent at 25% of a person’s income.
The CHP will be assigned new tenants from the MSD Housing Register.
We are working through the implications for applicants on the current City Housing waitlist. We will communicate any changes to people on the list as soon as we can.
About the CHP
The charitable trust will be governed by a board of nine trustees. Seven of these have been appointed to date and these are:
- Andrew Turner (Chair)
- Matthew Harker
- Carolyn van Leuven (Te Āti Awa)
- Liz Kelly (Ngāti Toa Rangatira)
- Councillor Rebecca Matthews
- Councillor Tim Brown
- Lucy Elwood
The final two trustees will be announced shortly as well as the Trust’s Chief Executive.
The name of the Trust will be Te Toi Mahana.
Feedback
Public consultation on options to make council housing financially sustainable was held in April–May 2022. See our Annual Plan 2022/23 submission results and the future of Wellington's council housing results.
If you have questions or feedback as we transition to a CHP, you can:
- contact your tenancy advisor (if you are a tenant of City Housing)
- submit a Fixit form online
- email us at info@wcc.govt.nz
- send a letter to City Housing, Wellington City Council, 113 The Terrace, Wellington 6011
- call City Housing at 04 499 4444.
Tenant and stakeholder feedback panel
We are setting up a tenant and stakeholder feedback panel. The purpose of the panel is to share information and hear feedback on matters relating to the CHP set up process. Applications to be a panel member close on Friday 7 April 2023. See documents below for more information.