I am just back from the signing of the Deed of Grant between the Wellington City Council and the Labour-led government for the $220 million partnership to upgrade Council housing.

The upgrade will mean that more than 4000 Wellingtonians will have their quality of life improved through improvements to things like insulation, ventilation, kitchens and bathrooms.   In terms of Wellington Central the first apartment blocks that will have work done are the Central Park and Berkley Dallard Apartments. 

 This is tangible proof of Labour’s commitment to social housing.  The National Party’s sale of state houses in the 90s has been a costly and time consuming thing to do undo.  Labour has increased the number of state houses by more than 8000, and has supported Councils and community groups to ensure there is a supply of housing for those in need.   For me this is a cornerstone of a socially conscious government.

The tenants I spoke to at the launch are very happy indeed.  They, of course, have some concerns about how they will be housed while refurbishments are underway, but the Council has spent considerable time working on the logistics of that.  There are 28 consultation meetings in the next two weeks so residents can be fully informed.

Have a read of my media release for further information.