‘So depressing’: Residents push for answers over Wellington ghost houses

Neighbours are questioning why a block of state houses in an otherwise lively suburb has been sitting vacant for so long.

This story was originally published on RNZ

Karl Frost sighs as he walks towards a shuttered grey housing block on a desolate Wellington cul-de-sac.

“It’s just … it’s depressing, it really is – it’s so depressing when you see the state of things and you knew it was so close, so close.”

He’s staring at three boarded-up blocks of Kainga Ora homes on the entirely empty Ngatiapa Street. Windows cracked or smashed, white paint slapped over graffiti, external pipes starting to “fall off the sides of the building” – Frost describes the street as “derelict”.

“It’s just completely out of place, given generally how lively this suburb is, the number of people, and then you’ve suddenly you’ve got this street which is derelict, it’s empty, there’s no one here.

“You could turn down to Ngatiapa and feel like you’re in some kind of dystopian, post-apocalypse movie.”

The only sign of life is someone fixing a security camera, one of three Kainga Ora installed to monitor suspicious activity and rubbish dumping onsite, he said.

Frost, who is president of Strathmore Park Residents’ Association, is among residents in the Wellington suburb pushing for answers over two areas in the suburb where blocks of state housing have been vacant for years.

Strathmore Park Residents’ Association president Karl Frost. (Photo: RNZ / Baz Macdonald)

One planned development of 39 new homes on the nearby Nuku Street was canned last year as Kainga Ora conducted a nationwide review of social housing projects due to a government-ordered financial re-set. Another large development of 49 new homes mostly based at Ngatiapa Street, with a community room, and 51 carparks, was set to get underway in late 2024, according to information sheets provided to residents at the time.

Kainga Ora said people moved out gradually from blocks on both streets due to the development plans, with the last residents leaving in 2024. But an Official Information Act response from the agency, which RNZ has seen, showed some units on Nuku Street and Ngatiapa Street had been empty for six years now.

Neighbouring resident Lizzie Pringle said she had spent years looking at the empty buildings, and had been looking forward to the development. “It was so close to being built, and council resource had been sought, and it was 49 houses: two, three, four, five bedrooms, a community room, shared garden spaces, heaps of car-parks.”

Pringle said Strathmore was a diverse community and she wanted to see the land turned into more social housing. “Lots of different people live here and I think that’s the strength of the community … but when you drive past this street it’s just empty and sad. People aren’t proud when it’s just empty streets and boarded up buildings and a really easy place to dump your rubbish.”

Blocks of state houses in Strathmore have been vacant for years. (Photo: RNZ / Baz Macdonald)

Fellow neighbour Gek McGregor said she’d prefer the land be developed on the private market, instead of social housing – but she didn’t want it empty either. “A waste of resources isn’t it – I mean that is prime land – if you go over there, all day sun, fantastic sea views over the airport. It’s the perfect place for families to live.”

Numbers from the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport from late May show 804 people on the social housing and transfer waitlist for Wellington. That’s a drop of 130 people from June 2023. Kainga Ora said since December 2023, 187 homes in the Rongotai electorate had been put on hold.

Wellington City councillor for Motukairangi-Eastern Ward Jonny Osborne said the land could be put to good use. “I think it’s incredibly frustrating, that the government – despite on its own social housing waitlist having hundreds and hundreds of people that need a warm, dry home – and having plans to invest and develop these properties – has just sat on its hands.”

‘Work going on behind the scenes’ – Kainga Ora

Kainga Ora declined an interview with RNZ.

In a statement, regional director for Wellington Sarah Willson said she understood neighbours were frustrated, but work was going on behind the scenes. Willson said she couldn’t reveal the original cost of the Nuku Street and Ngatiapa developments due to commercial sensitivities.

Kainga Ora decided to sell the Nuku Street flats following a review of its building programme, she said, and was currently in a first right of refusal process with Taranaki Whanui.

Kainga Ora would demolish the houses in Ngatiapa Street in the coming weeks, Willson said.

A building on Ngatiapa Street. (Photo: RNZ / Baz Macdonald)

While the original plans for 50 new homes wouldn’t go ahead, Kainga Ora was still intending to deliver social housing on the street. A “preferred option” had been decided on, but while decisions were “being finalised it would be premature to discuss details”.

“We’ve been considering options for re-developing the site for social housing, but we are not yet in a position to discuss our preferred plan publicly.

“This is a long-term decision, that will shape the future of this large, complex site for decades to come – so it’s important we take the time to get it right, rather than rush the process.”

Willson said Kainga Ora was regularly monitoring the site and was committed to keeping the area safe. She said the agency would share more information as soon as it was able.

Karl Frost said he hoped the street was not empty for much longer. “From a community point of view, it’s demoralising to have a derelict site here … not just the fact that it could be full of houses.

“But there could be life here, there could be people here.”

This story was first published on rnz.co.nz ...