Accessible Properties was one of three shortlisted respondents asked to submit a formal proposal to purchase the 1124 properties and take over the management of their tenancies.

The Government is now working with Accessible Properties to finalise the agreement. It is expected negotiations will be completed by October with a final decision to be made shortly after.

Minister Responsible for Housing New Zealand Corporation Bill English says the Government is impressed with the calibre of the respondents who made it this far.

“One of the Government’s Social Housing Reform Programme objectives is to develop more diverse ownership of social housing in order to provide better housing services. The status quo - of one very large state-run provider - is not doing a good enough job supporting vulnerable people,” Mr English says.

“Letting community organisations provide housing support and services to better connect tenants to the other social agencies they need is a critical way of doing that. 

"It was encouraging to see so many community housing providers demonstrating they had the ability to provide tenancy and property management from a sound, sustainable financial base, as well as being able to offer iwi and wider community links.”

Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says it is a commitment that the transfers do not change tenants’ eligibility for social housing, they will continue to be supported for as long as they need, and their tenancy conditions remain the same.

“The Government has previously worked with Accessible Properties on some fantastic social housing developments, so we are pleased they have been selected to negotiate.

“Our bottom line remains that any properties transferred must remain as social housing and cannot be sold unless the Government agrees otherwise.

“Accessible Properties are as committed as the Government to improving the way we provide social housing in New Zealand, and we look forward to continuing this work with them.”

Accessible Properties has been managing housing for vulnerable people for more than 60 years, and currently looks after over 1600 properties throughout New Zealand.

If final negotiations are successful, Accessible Properties will take over from Housing New Zealand as the landlord and tenancy manager within the first half of 2017.

Social housing transactions are a part of the Government’s comprehensive plan to house more vulnerable people and increase the supply of homes for them.