Rebuilding our shattered city

Fourteen years ago today (September 4) Christchurch was woken by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake centred near Darfield.

It was the start of a sequence that rolled on for months, culminating - but not ending - in the deadly February 2010 quake. 

Public buildings crumbled, infrastructure collapsed and failed, and thousands of homes were lost across the city.

The Christchurch Council lost more than 360 social housing bedrooms to the earthquakes. As time wore on, it was increasingly clear it would be difficult for the council to sustainably provide social housing on its own.

And so it was that Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust was established in 2016 from the rubble of the quakes to ensure council-owned properties will continue to house those in need.

The Trust's lease of much of the council’s social housing portfolio would, over time, help make the council's housing portfolio sustainable. But the Trust would do more than that.

It has repaired and improved units, and it has built new and ultimately award-winning properties that have raised the standard for social housing design and provision.

Crucially, the Trust has built-back the service capacity lost to the quakes.

The Trust opened its first new development, Louisson Place, in 2019.

Four years later, it opened its 13th new community, Willard Street, a week shy of the quakes 13th anniversary.

The addition of 35, multi-bed homes grew the Trust’s rebuild portfolio to 270 new homes, providing 410 new bedrooms.

The Trust has opened two more complexes since then, providing nearly 500 bedrooms.

ŌCHT is proud of its part in our city's physical, social and spiritual rebuild. And to be in it for the long haul.

The Trust has opened 15
new complexes since 2019

Louisson Place (first development, 2019)

Tīwaiwaka Lane

Charles Street

Hastings Street East

Lesley Keast Place

Reg Stillwell Place

Korimako Lane

Karoro Lane

Hoiho Lane

Gowerton Place

Coles Place

Glovers Road

Willard Street

Carey Street 

Hills Road