The agreed price and identity of the buyer have yet to be disclosed, as well as future plans for those villages.<\/p>\n
All but one of the homes have been vacated ahead of the November 1 eviction deadline.<\/p>\n
The three villages had a combined market value of over $20 million, according to a 2022 valuation, and were built in the early 1980s.<\/p>\n
The three villages that are being sold. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n
The main reason for the sale was the council\u2019s housing portfolio cost more to maintain than it generated in rent.<\/p>\n
The council still owns nine villages across Napier totalling about 300 units, which are mainly one bedroom.<\/p>\n
The council has previously cited a shortfall of about $2.5 million per year across its entire housing portfolio, picked up by ratepayers.<\/p>\n
It was revealed in May that the three villages would be sold as vacant properties<\/a>, rather than with the tenants remaining.<\/p>\n At the time, 66 residents were still living in those homes.<\/p>\n All impacted tenants have now vacated ahead of the November 1 deadline<\/a>, apart from one \u201chousehold\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cAll but one [tenancy] have now identified a new home to move to before the 1 November deadline,\u201d the council spokeswoman said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe continue to work closely with the remaining household to find a suitable housing solution.\u201d<\/p>\n She said impacted tenants had been supported by the council\u2019s tenancy co-ordinators, a dedicated housing navigator, MSD, and Age Concern, to find them new homes.<\/p>\n \u201cHousing arrangements have included moves into council\u2019s senior housing, where tenants were eligible and wished to move there, other social housing, private rentals and other private arrangements.\u201d<\/p>\n Robyn McCracken, 72, lived at Nelson Place Village (on Nelson Cres) for 12 years and was moved into another council-owned village in Onekawa last month.<\/p>\n She has stage four terminal cancer which made the move particularly challenging.<\/p>\n However, she said she was settling into a \u201cgorgeous\u201d unit at Henry Charles Village, and the council had helped her by transferring her existing bond (rather than forcing her to pay a new one) and waived an animal bond for her cat.<\/p>\n While she prefers not to drive, she now has to drive to get to shops and services as they are further from her home.<\/p>\n It was her understanding that it had been a harder move for others.<\/p>\n She said that included her former neighbours, aged in their 90s<\/a>, who had to leave many of their lifelong possessions behind, while moving into a smaller home.<\/p>\n She said she was happy to hear the villages had sold, as it would have been worse for them to sit empty.<\/p>\n The Napier City Council considered selling its entire housing portfolio<\/a> in 2022, but decided against that option after a public outcry.<\/p>\n The council then decided in 2024 to sell three of the villages<\/a>.<\/p>\n The three villages long catered for retirees and low-income earners, with rents ranging from $210 to $326 per week.<\/p>\n The council\u2019s remaining affordable housing is reserved for people aged over 60.<\/p>\n Kainga Ora complex hits the open market<\/p>\n