Christchurch City Council and the Otautahi Community Housing Trust have officially signed a milestone agreement that will allow the Trust to lease the Council’s social housing buildings and land.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel hands over deed of lease to Otautahi Community Trust Chair Alex Skinner.

The agreement was signed by the Mayor and Trust Chair Alex Skinner today.

The signing of the lease signals a new chapter in the Council’s provision of social housing, which dates back to 1921, when it received a special loan to build eight houses on Council land in Huxley Street, Sydenham.From next month, the Otautahi Community Housing Trust will take over the day-to-day management of the Council’s social housing service, in a move that will help to financially secure the service and ensure a stable future for tenants.

In the 95 years since then the Council’s social housing has grown to more than 2300 units.