Government, council seek interest from community housing providers in Horowhenua

Wednesday 20th July 2016

The Horowhenua District Council and the government are asking for interest from community housing providers to take over the running of 364 properties under the government's social housing reform programme.

The council and government are "jointly undertaking a market sounding seeking feedback from community housing providers interested in delivering social and affordable housing in the Horowhenua district and Otaki," they said in a statement.

The parties are considering a joint transfer of 115 council flats and 249 state houses in Foxton, Levin and Shannon to a community provider. The market sounding is independent of any procurement process, and is being run as the crown consults local iwi, with progress on procurement dependent on the outcome of the consultation, they said. In May, the government said it would consult local iwi until July 1, and would outline a proposal with the local body if those talks were positive.

The government wants to sell down a proportion of its Housing New Zealand stock and overhaul the agency's property portfolio of 65,000 homes, many of which it has deemed to be unsuited to tenants' needs. Tauranga and Invercargill were the first tenders where registered community housing providers could bid to buy the properties and manage a range of social services for the tenants.

Market sounding meetings for registered participants will be held in Levin on July 28, and Wellington on July 29, with no written submission process.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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