- Wellington City Mission opened an 83-room transitional housing facility at 58 Tory Street
- The building was formerly a backpackers’ hostel
- The government is contributing $15 million over three years
- The mission aims to move residents into permanent housing within three to six months
Wellington City Mission opened Te Pā Pori, an 83-room transitional housing facility in the former “Zebra” backpackers building at 58 Tory Street, Anglican Taonga reported on July 6, 2021. It was officially opened by ministers Grant Robertson, Megan Woods and Marama Davidson.
The six-storey building has 77 one-bedroom units and six independent-living apartments, four communal spaces and 24-hour staffing, including social workers on site. The government is contributing “$15 million over the next three years” to the initiative.
“Partnerships between organisations such as Wellington City Mission and the government are vital” to serving vulnerable people, City Missioner Murray Edridge said. Housing Minister Megan Woods said “the Government is committed to building and providing homes with partners such as Councils, Iwi and existing community housing providers.”
Since starting supported transitional housing, the mission said, “135 manuhiri have found permanent homes”. The facility aims to move residents into permanent housing within three to six months.
Converting a hostel into supported housing is a practical way for a church charity to add beds quickly without building from scratch. Older guest houses, small hotels and commercial buildings in Jamaican towns could, in principle, be adapted in the same way. With government support for running costs and a church or charity providing the care, such buildings can move people from the street towards permanent homes.
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