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Tenants at a formerly council owned pensioner housing development are lauding a revamp which has seen them socialising more with their neighbours.Residents of the Peachgrove Rd units welcomed in the New Year from the seats of their new patio.
Accessible Properties, a non-government social housing provider, transformed a grass lawn into a communal outdoor area for the residents, complete with gardens, picnic tables and a barbecue.
Tenants, such as Barry Ross, supplied little things such sun umbrellas to add a touch of home.
Ross said the revamp was great as residents could now socialise with one another. Prior to the changes he hardly ever sat outside to eat a meal.
Now he is happy to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in the patio, and the barbecue has been used at least three times.
Accessible Properties last year bought more than 300 units from Hamilton City Council for $23.5 million, and the Peachgrove Rd revamp was just the first in a number of projects they are undertaking over the next 6-12 months on those.
Ross has lived in the housing unit for three years and said during that time requests were made to the Council to improve the landscaping of the property, but nothing was done.
However, he said the council maintained the inside of the units, replacing carpet and adding a new toilet and stove in his home when it was needed.
When Accessible Properties took over the portfolio of properties from council in 2016, Ross said they made changes "straight away".
As well as the communal area, the project included an upgrade of the carpark, bringing almost twice as many parking spots to the units.
The build was completed by Quinn Landscaping in around one month and gave tenants of the 22 units five additional parking spaces.
Ross said added spaces were needed as the units were built at a time when the elderly didn't tend to have their own cars.
Asset manager for Accessible Properties Nigel Smith said the Peachgrove complex was a priority, with parking being identified as an issue before the units were purchased.
Overall, he said the Hamilton properties were in a good condition when bought.
Smith said the residents were involved early on and they provided a good "community spirit" to the units.
"We wanted to try create some sort of community hub where they could get together.
"It's a neat environment. We are happy with it."
Smith said they are currently working on a few properties in Hamilton and are committed to lift the level of maintenance at each site.
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