Joint media release
10 April 2017
New housing partnership between The Selwyn Foundation and Auckland Council to commence operations in July
The Housing for Older People limited partnership between charitable trust, The Selwyn Foundation, and Auckland Council
has confirmed its appointments to the Board of its General Partner and has also announced its new name, as it prepares
to take over operations of the council’s Housing for Older People portfolio on 1 July 2017.
The limited partnership was formed in December 2016 to undertake comprehensive tenancy and asset management services
associated with the council’s stock of 1,452* rental units for senior citizens, which are located in villages across
south, north and west Auckland. As a 51% shareholder, The Selwyn Foundation has appointed three directors – Selwyn Board
members, Helen Melrose and Vicki Sykes, and Selwyn CEO, Garry Smith. Matthew Harker and Kerry Hitchcock have been
appointed by Auckland Council following an external selection process. Helen Melrose is the Board Chair.
The Board has appointed Gabrielle Clezy as the partnership’s General Manager. Ms Clezy has been Chief Executive of aged
residential care service provider, TerraNova, since 2014 and has extensive leadership and operational experience in
social services and aged care in both the UK and New Zealand. She has worked for not-for-profit organisations in the
healthcare arena, such as Bupa Care Services and specialist addictions mental health trust, Odyssey House, and has also
held senior roles in the UK tertiary education and national health sectors.
‘Haumaru Housing’ has been registered as the name of the limited partnership, and the General Partner has been
registered as ‘Haumaru Auckland Limited’.
Board Chair, Helen Melrose, says: “Haumaru Housing aims to provide outstanding social housing for older Aucklanders and
to create safe and secure age-friendly communities for our tenants. As ‘Haumaru’ means ‘shelter, to provide a caring and
safe haven for everything’ – and has associated meanings of protection, security and refuge – we believe this
encapsulates our vision and objectives for the partnership and the quality and respectful service that tenants can
expect to receive.”
Chair of The Selwyn Foundation Trust Board, Kay Hawk, says:
“The Selwyn Foundation has a long history of providing housing and accommodation for older people – since 1954, our
mission has been to provide services for vulnerable elderly. Today, our charitable mission focusses more than ever on
helping people into affordable rental homes, as well as alleviating the problems caused by loneliness, social isolation
and financial hardship that equally affect the wellbeing of senior citizens and make them particularly vulnerable.
“We are very much looking forward to Haumaru Housing commencing services on 1 July and to applying our 60-plus years of
experience and concern for the welfare of the older person, to the benefit of ever greater numbers of people. With our
Auckland Council partners, we aim to provide a responsive, quality service and, in so doing, create environments where
people will feel comfortable, content and secure in their homes, thereby enriching the lives of those who are most in
need.”
Councillor Penny Hulse, Chair of Auckland Council’s Environment and Community Committee, says the initiative is all
about improving both the quality of housing for Auckland’s older people and the associated services provided. She says:
“The Selwyn Foundation is a New Zealand-owned and operated charitable organisation with many years of providing quality
retirement accommodation and care and, as such, is a great partner for Auckland Council.
“When addressing the future of older Aucklanders, the council faces some tough choices. The reality is, we have ‘baby
boomers’ nearing retirement age, an ageing housing stock requiring upgrading and is not necessarily evenly spread across
Auckland, and a limited budget.
“We have made a promise to maintain the current number of homes and the current level of service and we are confident
this relationship will help us increase that number and improve the quality of homes.
“Most importantly, it means our tenants' homes are secure.”
Haumaru Housing (pronounced Hoe-maa-ru) is expected to receive Community Housing Provider registration shortly, which
will enable it to access the Government’s Income Related Rent Subsidies scheme over time, thereby providing valuable
funding to help further improve the services for tenants.
ENDS