PM tours community housing site
Building public homes in Labour’s ‘DNA’ — Hipkins
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins visited Pa¯pa¯moa this week to showcase housing and health initiatives he says have benefitted the area. Hipkins started at a community housing development at Mangatawa Pa¯pa¯moa Blocks, which uses renewable energy to generate electricity.
He was accompanied by Labour MPS Jan Tinetti and Megan Woods and the Labour candidate for Bay of Plenty, Pare Taikato.
The next stop was a Ka¯inga Ora development in Doncaster Drive, Pa¯pa¯moa, to mark the completion of 41 public houses.
Hipkins said building public homes was in Labour’s “DNA”.
Woods, Labour’s housing spokeswoman, said she was committing to solar panels for an extra 1000 Ka¯inga Ora homes.
“It is ambitious and deliverable. “We can build resilience in our neighbourhoods,” Woods said of building homes that could cope with extreme weather events.
Resident Priscilla Wielders said moving into a Ka¯inga Ora home in March had “changed my life”.
Her husband was disabled and in a wheelchair and their new home was designed to be fully accessible.
She said Labour had “clearly delivered” on its promises to build public homes, although she had still not decided who to vote for in the election, she said.
Mangatawa Pa¯ pa¯ moa Blocks Inc is a Registered Housing Provider and has a range of rental and licence-tooccupy homes, as well as land developments, horticulture and agriculture interests, alongside a partnership with Pacific Coast Village and Pacific Lakes Retirement Village.
However, its renewable energy to generate electricity was under the spotlight as Hipkins was given the rundown on how that was a sustainable and viable option for homes.
Tenant Rhapsody Cooper said her power bill had gone from $800 a month to $25 with the solar power panels. “The kids have noticed it and are on board now I can spend more money on groceries, I love it.
“I have 16 panels on my fourbedroom home.
“Now I can run my dryer all day, it’s awesome.”
Woods said it was all about people being able to afford their power bills.
“We want to build future generations.
“Other wha¯nau members said not having to worry about big power bills had removed so much stress from their lives and hardship.”
National Party leader Christopher Luxon visited Tauranga earlier this month.