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The Minister Responsible for Housing New Zealand, Bill English, along with Social Housing Minister, Paula Bennett, are welcoming news that the massive programme to repair 5000 earthquake-damaged social housing stock in Christchurch has been reached ahead of schedule.

The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes damaged 95 percent of Housing New Zealand’s properties, affecting about 20,000 tenants across greater Christchurch.

Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett are pleased to announce the Government is now taking Expressions of Interest from Community Housing Providers (CHPs) to transfer social housing in Invercargill and Tauranga.

As announced by the Prime Minister in January, the Government’s Social Housing Reform Programme includes plans to transfer 1,000 to 2,000 Housing New Zealand Corporation houses and tenancies to registered CHPs over the next year.

New Zealanders have beaten stiff competition from Australia, picking up multiple awards at a ceremony celebrating excellence in community housing this week.

Housing New Zealand Corporation (HNZC) and VisionWest Chief Executive Officer Lisa Woolley were honoured at the Australasian Housing Institute’s 2015 Professional Excellence in Housing Awards held in Perth on Wednesday.

The proposed transfer of approximately 1,500 Housing NZ Corporation houses and tenancies in Tauranga and Invercargill to registered Community Housing Providers will shortly move to the next stage, Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett say.

As announced by the Prime Minister in January, the Government’s Social Housing Reform Programme includes plans to transfer 1,000 to 2,000 Housing NZ Corporation houses and tenancies to registered Community Housing Providers over the next year.

Treasury and the Ministry of Social Development are looking to identify further opportunities for the supply or transfer of social housing, Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett say.

“Under the Social Housing Reform Programme the Government has committed to subsidise an additional 3,000 social housing tenancies nationally, by the end of 2018,” Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

Tauranga and Invercargill have been selected as the first regions for the proposed transfer of Housing New Zealand Corporation (HNZC) houses to registered Community Housing Providers (CHPs), Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett say.

The Government’s commitment to helping New Zealanders in need by providing more social housing is at the heart of its social housing reform programme, Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett say.

Prime Minister John Key today confirmed increased funding for social houses, where tenants receive an income-related rent subsidy from the Government.