Tāmaki Housing receives prestigious award

The Australasian Housing Institute (AHI) has honoured Tāmaki Housing’s efforts to engage with its tenants.

Tāmaki Housing was a co-winner in the Excellence in Social Housing category, alongside the Te Puni Kōkiri/Kōkōhinau Marae Papakainga partnership.

The award was presented by Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford to Tāmaki Housing general manager Neil Porteous at a gala dinner in Wellington on June 6.

The awards provide an opportunity to showcase social housing success stories and highlight the difference social housing professionals make to people's lives.

Porteous says Tāmaki Housing - Tāmaki Regeneration’s tenancy arm - has made a huge effort to engage with tenants since it took ownership of 2800 state houses in Panmure, Point England and Glen Innes on April 1, 2016.

“Tāmaki Housing has adopted a community-based model where we put our tenants at the heart of everything we do.

“We have built the trust of the community by listening to them, delivering on what we say we will do and making a genuine effort to work with our tenants.

“Fundamental to this is employing tenancy managers either from the Tāmaki community, with strong connections to the community, or who have a lived experience of state housing.”

Porteous says the organisation does not take this trust for granted and works hard to maintain and build our relationships for the long-term benefit of Tāmaki.

Engagement with the community takes many forms, including involvement in local events and working with Tāmaki Regeneration’s Community Liaison Committee, which includes tenants who are also members.

Regular surveys of Tāmaki Housing tenants are also regularly conducted, with a gold-standard 88% tenant satisfaction rating recently being achieved.

Tāmaki Housing was also a finalist in the Leading Community Engagement Practice category at the AHI awards, while tenancy manager Selina Patia was a finalist in the Inspirational Team Member category.

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