A community consortium will build nearly 300 hundred houses on a South Auckland site, as the first development under the Government and Auckland Council's Housing Accord.
Housing Minister Nick Smith says 113 of the houses, which will be built on vacant Government land in Weymouth, will be sold to first-home buyers.
Dr Smith says the consortium, led by the Tamaki Collective, has committed to sell them for between $325,000 and $475,000; some of them through a rent-to-buy scheme.
The remaining 169 will be made available for social housing and for people to rent.
Dr Smith says the development will house 1250 people in mostly smaller 2 bedroom units and some 4 or 5 bedroom homes.
The Government is contributing $29 million towards the $102 million project.
The Housing Accord was signed by Auckland Council and the Government last month and aims to treble the rate of home building in Auckland within three years.
The Accord brings with it the more flexible rules in Auckland's Unitary Plan and a fast-track consent process that will allow a much earlier start to building.
Auckland Council will next week detail other designated special housing areas, where the accord's fast-track provisions will also apply.
More of the same needed - Sallies
Salvation Army housing spokesperson Major Campbell Roberts says more such developments need to go ahead.
"We really should be opening ten of these today, because that's really what we need.
"We can't solve the housing situation in Auckland by just actually relying on the market, but I think this is a giant step in the right direction."
The Salvation Army says the Council and the Government also need to make sure there's good transport and other community facilities available for the people who'll live there.
