Housing partnership proves a winner

Derek and Margaret Willis: vision has been fulfilled.

Lancewood Courts, a housing project in Beckenham was built by an unusual partnership, the first of its type in New Zealand - and has proved to be a winner.

Lancewood Courts was built behind the Colombo Street Baptist Church in a partnership between the church and City Council - the first of its type.

Because of that success, the Council is now studying other housing partnership proposals.

In 1996 various councils around the country were pulling out of the provision of housing and so the City Council carried out a review into its stance towards social housing for those on low incomes, the elderly and people with disabilities.

That review (59 groups were consulted) looked into the future and the conclusion was that the Council not only should remain in the social housing field but also should extend its portfolio to meet identified needs.

As a result, the Council’s City Housing drew up a vision statement for the provision of holistic social welfare needs in the housing field.

This coincided with Margaret and Derek Willis of the Baptist Church recognising a need in the housing market to cater for people who needed accommodation with support systems built in.

The Mayor, Garry Moore, put Mr and Mrs Willis in touch with the Council’s Property Unit and after many months of talks, with some setbacks, agreement was reached. The Council provided the James Lunday-designed building at $900,000 and the church the land, landscaping and furnishings for $500,000.

The Council Property Manager, Rob Dally, says Lancewood Courts has been extraordinarily successful and the partnership has been most satisfying for both parties.

"We have achieved something collectively which would never have been achieved had the parties not come together," Mr Dally says.

Mr and Mrs Willis say their "journey in faith" has paid off. "People feel respected and valued by living in the quality accommodation - we’re not surprised at the respect and value they have for the accommodation but at how they feel respected and valued living in it."

The special accommodation has matched their vision for them. A key is its location close to the Colombo Street Baptist Church with its facilities, including the Friendship Centre. The centre has become a large part in the lives of some of the tenants at Lancewood Courts.

Mr Dally says the Council is planning nothing similar to Lancewood at present but it is already involved in a partnership with the Home and Family Society that leases a six-bedroom property from the Council.

Another housing partnership is being investigated with the Ka Wahine Ki Otautahi Trust, a trust that provides safe accommodation and programmes for women leaving prison and a further housing partnership, that will involve Housing New Zealand and the Council, is being examined as emergency accommodation for youths.