Colonial Cottage Motel is to be used for transitional housing. PHOTO/PAM GRAHAM
PAM GRAHAM
[email protected]
The former Colonial Cottage Motel in Masterton is to be used for transitional housing by community organisation Emerge Aotearoa.
The motel on Chapel St was marketed by agent David McHattie, the principal of LJ Hooker, and sold to Dubanelle Enterprises, an investment company owned by Percy McFadzean and his wife Norma, according to public records.
McFadzean was on the roof of a unit fixing it when the Times-Age called by this week, but his son Seb said they didn’t want to comment on the project.
The units have been refurbished and heat pumps were being fitted. The motel reception area had a closed sign. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development said Colonial Cottage was being leased by Emerge Aotearoa, which was contracted to provide transitional housing support to the community.
Emerge Aotearoa confirmed this but did not want to comment further.
Emerge Aotearoa was formed in 2015 from the merger of Recovery Solutions Group and Richmond New Zealand, known as Richmond Services.
It has 82 properties around New Zealand, most of which are in Auckland.
The organisations say one of the core conditions for living well is to have a home.
Emerge Aotearoa’s clients vary widely and include those with mental health and/or drug and alcohol challenges, people who are disabled, have experienced trauma or violence, who have been incarcerated or are homeless.
The organisation says on its website that getting in early to support people to have a home was a critical part of supporting people to get well and live well.
Colonial Cottage was previously known to have provided accommodation for Work and Income New Zealand clients, though neighbouring motel Amble Inn no longer does.
The Cornwall Park Motel is for sale or lease but Dubanelle or Emerge Aotearoa would not say if they were interested in that property.
Emerge Aotearoa favours wrapping services around people, according to its literature, and their properties are a mixture of social housing and serviced residential properties.
An insight into the needs for transitional and other housing in Wairarapa is contained in a document produced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
It says there were 59 emergency housing special needs grants in Masterton district in the quarter to March 31 for a spend of $55,398, down from 73 in the previous quarter for a spend of $65,849.
There were 17 in Carterton district and 15 in South Wairarapa district.
There were 10 transitional housing places in Masterton, none in Carterton and none in South Wairarapa in the quarter.
There were 61 public housing tenancies as at March 31 and the number was too small to measure in Carterton and South Wairarapa.
The number of applications on the housing register in the March quarter was 52 in Masterton and was too small to measure in either Carterton or South Wairarapa.
Is there a pl for me to stay I 27 n homeless
PLEASE CALL ME IF THIS IS FOR REAL THANK YOU
I’m from Masterton and living in Wellington now, i been on social housing register for 22 months and in emergency housing for 4 months, also on wellington city council wait list for 4 months. I want to move back to Masterton so i guess this will provide that opportunity. I’m also on disability payments.