Posted 06-07-23
Property Council Awards 2023
In June, a very significant landmark was achieved. For the first time a truly mixed, blind tenure affordable housing development took out the top affordable housing award and was recognised as best in its class by the peak industry body, Property Council New Zealand.
The Residences at Karamū was a labour of love by the passionate team at Kāinga Maha (developer) Home Construction (design and build), and Home Foundation and their many build partners and suppliers, such as: Blueprint Engineers, Foley Group, Mainland Surveying, One Square Rate, Andrews of Canterbury, Austins Earthworks, SES Contracting, Complete Coatings, Moisture Master Placemakers Riccarton, Aquapro, WrightWire Electrical, New View Construction, Big Apple Construction, Devon Construction, Alpine Ridge Construction, The Flooring Centre, Misco Joinery, Sockburn Joinery, Hagley Windows and Doors, Next Level Interiors, Metal Craft roofing, Diamond Scaffolding, United Scaffolding, Energy Smart Solutions, Homeview Building Products, HPAC, NZ Ceiling and Drywall, Paramount Plumbing, P&T Cladding, Bellchamber Brick and Block, Newline Group, Wardrobe Room, Hireking, Safety nets NZ, The Brickery and Wasteco.
A blind tenure mix of first-home buyers, owner occupiers, market rentals, and community housing providers. Home to teachers, accountants, refugees, single parents, tradespeople, hospitality workers, small business owners, students, scientists, and more than 10 different nationalities. Projects with this level of community impact do not happen without a massive amount of mahi, passion and perseverance.
The real winners here are the more than 300 individuals, that now have a secure, healthy and affordable place they can call home. A community that is mixed and diverse, but also where all can feel like they belong.
In no way is this project or community perfect, in fact we are already taking much of the learnings from this project and feedback from the community and applying it to our next development.
As the judges said, it is a remarkable demonstration of a diverse and inclusive community and should be aspirational for how we do developments in New Zealand.
The judges called it a "sophisticated, scalable model that will continue to evolve and serve its community over time".
We never do these projects for awards or to impose our ego on the built environment, but it is encouraging to see the industry and market recognise the importance of these types of projects.
It should be an encouragement to all our partners and those within the community and affordable housing sector that regardless of how hard these projects are to get off the ground, it is necessary and important work to do.