About the Windrush Emergency Housing development
I’m delighted to share with you the details of Monte Cecilia Housing Trust’s multi-million dollar emergency housing development at Windrush Close in Mangere.
A project of this size and scope is unprecedented in the not-for-profit emergency housing sector in New Zealand. However the impact of homelessness on families, their communities and the prosperity of our country is impossible to ignore.
Our team at Monte Cecelia has worked directly with thousands of parents and children in desperate need of a home. In recent years we’ve experienced first-hand the alarming growth in demand for our services, so we decided that we could no longer wait for intervention from others to address the shortfall of temporary housing.
Our new Windrush facility will provide warm, safe and secure homes for some of the most vulnerable families in our community. It will make a huge difference to both their immediate wellbeing, and their chances of having long-term housing security in the future.
The facility has been designed to provide a safe environment for families, help parents care for sick children, support parents to get the skills they need to achieve long-term housing stability, and provide easy access to support services.
The complex will include 30 two-bedroom units, secure family facilities including a playground and BBQ area, training facilities for parents working towards gaining long-term housing and on-site offices for Monte Cecilia staff so they’re easily accessible to support the families.
The build is now underway, and the facility will be ready for our first families to move in before coldest part of winter hits next year.
This development represents our wider commitment to support the most vulnerable members of our society, and we couldn’t do it without your on-going support.
Thank you.
- Bernie Smith, CEO
Key Figures
two-bedroom units
month build programme
investment
children’s playground
families can be housed a year
training rooms
Monte support staff on-site
commitment from Government to lease back units
units suitable for families with accessibility needs
Partners and supporters of the Windrush development
Jim & Mae Weir family
$870,000
Anonymous
$500,000
Sky City
$125,000
David Levene Foundation
$15,000
Ministry of Housing & Urban Design
$8.65 Million Loan
Ted Manson Trust
$60,000
AAA Family Trust
$50,000
Timeline
June 2018
Demolition of present site
September 2018
Construction Begins
October 2018
First concrete slab
November 2018
Eighteen apartments progressing well with first block of six roof on.
December 2018
rush now on as count down to Christmas closure begins
January 2019
Early Jan great progress is seen on site in spite of Christmas closure
February 2019
Last building to be commenced - our offices
March 2019
making great progress toward August opening in spite of $50,000+ damage created over one weekend
April 2019
Internal cladding & painting commenced of first block of 6 apartments
May 2019
Building construction still on target & looking great
June 2018
Start of demolition work onsite
June 2018
Demolition in progress
June 2018
Demolition continued
June 2018
June 2018
June 2018
First construction Meeting
Mother Mary was given hard hat to protect her from falling objects as she watched the site for us night & day
October 2018
Concrete slab pour for the first block of 6 apartments
October 2018
Second and third apartment slab pour and first block framing arrived today, 23 October
October 2018
October 2018
25 October 2018
First three bottom floor apartment's framing going up
25 October 2018
25 October 2018
November 2018
November 2018
November 2018
November 2018
First 6 Apartments roof on & cladding progressing
December 2018
Construction gearing up ready for Christmas closure
December 2018
10 Dec doors & windows beginning to be put in first block of 6
December 2018
22 apartments in progress
December 2018
office block foundation waiting on concrete
8 January
A block of 6 apartments
16 January
12 apartments windows & doors about to go in
19 January
Finally framing for office block & last three apartments arrive at site
22 January
Bricks & more bricks
4 February
Finally office block commences
20 February
Good progress being made
March 4
Brick work almost completed across the site
12 March
Brickwork completed, & first lot of scaffolding comes down
14March
Wall Gibbing commences
March 20
Office block with 3 units on top almost framed up
28 march
Office block with roof trusses now up 7 in place
8 April 2019
Office block almost closed in
15 April
One block of 6 apartments, 3 up and 3 down looking great
17 April
Changing streetscape
18 April
As the construction progresses the streetscape changes
9 May
Haedon & Borko from Ministry of Housing & Urban Design visit development site, note office block behind them progressing well. 3x2 bed apartments second floor
14 May
Solar Panels erected on the roof of three blocks due to generous donation of $70,000 from Jim & Mae Weir & Family
17 May
Two security camera & strobe lighting & alarm system towers to hinder vandalism & theft
Benefits of Windrush development
This development has more than double the capacity of the previous facility
The development is future-proofed, because the units can be re-purposed as social housing
Having self-contained units – rather than shared facilities – gives vulnerable families and their children control over who they share their spaces with
Resident’s transport costs are minimised because of the development’s proximity to Mangere Shopping Centre
Children released directly from hospital or with other health needs are able to be cared for by their parents in the safety and comfort of their own unit
The on-site training facilities enable parents to gain valuable skills including financial literacy, computer, English as a second language, tenancy and access counselling services
A completely new facility has significant cost benefits because of the reduction in maintenance costs, and provides the ability to consider cost-saving options