Future of Council-owned elderly housing

On 24 October 2024, the full Council made a decision to remove all elderly housing units from the Council schedule of assets and transfer ownership to the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust.

This decision followed a formal consultation process held in July 2024. Details of the proposal can be read below:

Summary of proposal:

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) owns a total of nine elderly housing units: five in Wānaka and four in Arrowtown. These are currently listed as a strategic asset in the QLDC Significance and Engagement Policy 2021.

In summary, we're proposing to transfer the title of land and five properties used for elderly housing located in Wānaka, and a 20-year lease for the four properties used for elderly housing located in Arrowtown, to the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT).

It is also proposed that the Arrowtown Elderly Housing units and land are transferred to the QLCHT during the first term of the lease, subject to further investigations into any obligations connected with endowment land in Arrowtown.

By transferring the elderly housing units to QLCHT, the tenants will benefit from better quality accommodation and an increased level of care and tenancy services from a registered community housing provider. The Trust’s Senior Housing model is designed to provide affordable, long-term, secure tenure in good quality homes to older people in our community.

The properties will also remain under permanent community ownership, without the financial burden of maintaining the properties. Transferring the titles to QLCHT will enable them to undertake a mortgage to eventually redevelop the land in Wānaka and increase the number of elderly housing units in the district in the future.

A full statement of proposal and supporting information can be downloaded from the links below. Please read this information before you make a submission on the proposal.

• Statement of proposal
• Locations of elderly housing units
• Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust senior housing proposal
• Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust tenant welfare plan
• QLDC Significance and Engagement Policy - schedule of assets (pg 25)

If you prefer, you can drop by any Council office or Library district-wide and collect a hard copy of the above information.

Submissions closed on 28 July.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to make a submission on this proposal.

The submissions hearing is scheduled for 26 August. If you have requested to speak at a hearing, a member of the governance team will be in contact to provide further details and arrange a convenient time.

Please note that all submissions have equal weight, whether you have chosen to speak at a hearing or not.

How will your submissions be used?

All submissions are considered by elected members as part of its wider decision-making process. Other things considered include things like expert advice, laws and regulations, budget constraints etc. We'll keep submitters updated as the consultation process progresses.