Housing trust praises Hāwea developer's affordable housing efforts

An affordable housing advocate has gone in to bat for a Hāwea developer, who some are claiming has not followed through on a deal to provide cheaper housing options in the lakeside township.

Chief executive of the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust Julie Scott says Universal Developments' Lane Hocking has enabled the trust to be able to build nearly 60 affordable home in the Longview subdivision, with 20 households already having moved in.

"He’s actually contributing more via inclusionary housing to QLCHT, than any other developer has done in the Queenstown Lakes history."

Ms Scott says 12.5 percent of sections in the new neighbourhood have been gifted by Universal Developments to the trust.

"So a significant chunk of the development will remain as affordable housing forever."

The first stage - 28 homes - is close to completion, and construction on the next 18 residences will start soon.

Twenty of the first stage homes are already occupied, and for those who live in them access to affordable housing has been a "game changer", Ms Scott says.

At latest count, the trust still has 1,236 households on its ever-growing waitlist.

In June 2023, the number stood at 950.

Earlier this week Crux reported on an open letter sent to local leaders and councillors by a member of the Hāwea Community Association with concerns about Mr Hocking's pricing and the degree to which the council has been monitoring requirements of a deed signed with him. 

The Queenstown Lakes District Council has confirmed it is investigating Mr Hocking's $599,000-and-under land packages and the validity of his claims that he is unable to uphold this price point.

Main image: Queenstown Lakes Housing Trust chief executive Julie Scott at the Longview development in November 2022, when Lane Hocking officially handed over the land to the trust.