City Mission changing the game for homelessness

Mission development to provide 35 homes and supermarket to support Wellingtonians in need

Wellington is a great place to live, but for many Wellington residents, homelessness, food insecurity and isolation make living in Wellington a significant challenge. BERL is a proud partner of the Wellington City Mission and provided a report contributing to the evidence base supporting the development of Whakamaru. A copy of the report can be found here.

The $10 million shovel-ready grant for Whakamaru will provide 35 homes for up to 40 Wellington residents facing chronic homelessness. The Mission will also transform its other services, to build an inclusive community, centralise the Mission’s services into one location, while also providing a community café, cooking classes and a social supermarket.

Whakamaru changes the game for the Mission, including providing a more inclusive and mana-enhancing model of support for families in need. Transforming the City Mission’s foodbank, the social supermarket provides the Mission’s clients the dignity of choice for their food, and a supportive and inclusive community environment.

Development of Whakamaru can provide this much-needed support for the Wellington economy in a number of ways, with the short-term boost to the local economy generating the equivalent of 120 full time jobs over the duration of construction. Once completed, Whakamaru will then deliver lasting benefits to support the Wellington community.