Published on 11th of September, 2024
When five-year-old Lesa Apulu cut the ribbon of her new home at the blessing of CMM’s new housing development in Blenheim, it marked a fresh start for her whānau.
CMM’s first housing development in Blenheim features six two-bedroom homes that will provide permanent housing for whānau who have previously lived in emergency and transitional housing.
In early June over seventy people attended the blessing of the new homes, an occasion that CMM Regional Housing Manager Vanya Vitasovich said was very special. “My team in Te Tau Ihu supported 340 households last year, but this increased to 460 this year,” says Vanya. “It just shows that there’s a need out there.”
The whānau who moved into their new homes following the blessing had been waiting for permanent housing for a long time, including one whānau who lived in transitional housing for four years. “All whānau have settled in nicely and over the next few weeks CMM will be hosting a neighbourhood community BBQ,” says Vanya.
CMM Executive Director Jill Hawkey says it’s an exciting milestone to have permanent housing in Blenheim, where CMM has been providing support since 2017.
“We have worked with so many families in either emergency housing or transitional housing so we really wanted to be able to build some permanent homes,” says Jill. “We looked at many different properties before we were able to buy this amazing section. After all the planning and resource consent processes it’s fantastic to finally get this across the line and see the project completed.”
“These are secure, long-term homes so these families don’t have to worry about housing anymore. They can connect with their community and their kids can go to school in the local area.”
