After months living in emergency accommodation, Dillon Cumming and Kara Cotton will soon have a stable roof over their heads as they prepare to move into one of the Nelson Tasman Housing Trust’s new homes in Atawhai.
The 10 homes at 76 Dodson Valley Rd were officially blessed and opened on Monday morning, with tenants set to move in this weekend. The $7.85 million development includes four two-bedroom houses, four three-bedroom houses and two four-bedroom houses.
All tenants are on modest incomes and do not qualify for the housing register. They will pay income-related rent to keep the homes affordable.
Dillon and Kara will move into one of the three-bedroom properties with their family. Leaving emergency accommodation will also allow them to regain custody of their daughter.
“It’s an opportunity to get our family back together,” Dillon says, who is close to completing his butcher apprenticeship. “Lots of families are struggling out there.”
The homes have double-glazed windows, photovoltaic panels to help reduce power costs, and heat pumps.
Trust director Carrie Mozena says reaching this milestone is an “incredible relief”.
“I’m stoked we’ve managed to complete these homes. I’m so grateful to be doing this work, it is a labour of love.”
The Dodson Valley Rd site is the trust’s first project in Atawhai. The trust purchased the land in December 2021 and spent two years undertaking comprehensive soil contamination remediation before construction began in January 2025.
Major funding came from Nelson City Council’s housing reserve fund, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Rata Foundation, and the trust’s major philanthropic donor.
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith declared the homes open, describing the project as an “incredible achievement”.
Nelson MP Rachel Boyack, who also attended, says the homes will be life changing for the families moving in.
“It’s really exciting to see these homes opened and families moving in. The funding for these homes came from Labour’s affordable housing fund, which we put in place a few years ago. That has helped to fund two projects for the Nelson Tasman Housing Trust, these homes, and the homes on Kawai St.”
