Abandoned police houses in Horowhenua may be sold
The police are considering whether to keep two abandoned properties in a small Horowhenua town.
A police spokeswoman said the houses in Shannon had been vacant for about five years, and were not currently suitable to live in.
The small houses on Julyan St were run down, dirty and in need of repairs. One house had its curtains closed, while a rope blocked off the driveway, and the doors of the garage had been opened.
‘‘If police confirm that the properties are no longer required ... the land will be sold,’’ the spokeswoman said.
The houses were historically used for local police officers to live in. She said the land was subject to the Public Works Act, and the disposal would need to follow the procedure. This meant that other Crown agencies would have the first opportunity to acquire the land.
If the properties were not wanted by the Crown, the land might then need to be offered back to the person from whom it was acquired or their successors. If the former owner or successors were no longer alive or did not want to buy the land, it would be advertised for sale on the open market. The spokeswoman said it could be several months before the land was available for sale on the open market. She said police did not have a record of the last tenant. Former Shannon community constable Charlie Rudd said he was one of the last people to live one of the houses.
He lived in one of the Julyan St homes for eight years and left in 2015, when he left the police force.
Rudd said the 1980s through to early 2000s was a tough time for Shannon, with crime and gang activity, and the community needed a local officer to keep a presence.
He said the community had become more boutiquey, and did not want to return to those bad times.
Rudd said locals were looking after their own, and there was less need for an officer to live in the town.
He said it was great the houses were being sorted, and hoped a family in need could move in.
‘‘I think they had intentions of using them, but it’s a big organisation and small towns get forgotten.’’
Ha¯pai Te Hapori community innovation navigator Sharon Williams said it was a shame the houses had been empty for so long when there were families in need of a place to live. There were limited rentals in Shannon and only seven state homes.
Williams said no town should have empty houses, especially when there were people struggling to find a home.
‘‘Hopefully someone will buy it and do it up and a family can move in. It will be good to see them lived in.’’