Dwell Housing Trust

01/10/2026

Last Wednesday, our team attended the cross-denominational Housing Forum at St Pauls Cathedral in Wellington, hosted by the Catholic and Anglican Dioceses of Wellington and moderated by Paul Gilberd from Community Housing Aotearoa Housing Aotearoa.

Archbishop Paul Martin said, "One thing is undisputable...and that is that having a place to call home is the first essential element in restoring dignity, good health, mana and connection to society."

It was incredible to hear speakers from different denominations speak so passionately, and with one voice, on this point. Everyone in our community deserves the stability of a safe home. When it can feel like doors are closing on our ability to properly support our communities, it was heartening to hear from so many people who want to do better.

We are excited to see where this might lead, and how it could inspire more community partnerships in future.

Image provided by event organisers and shared by DCM Wellington

29/09/2026

What a brilliant morning at Kilbirnie Lyall Bay Community Centre hanging out with our fabulous tenants.

Emergency preparation is so essential for Wellingtonians, and so is enrolling to vote for this 7 November election, so we took the opportunity to talk about both over a cup of tea and some great pizza.

Every tenant of Dwell is receiving a grab bag of a few emergency supplies to help get them started, and a water container to fill and store at home.

We hope this is the start of even more preparation by every household because we care about you and if we can’t get to you after a disaster, we really want to know you will be ready and looking out for each other.

If you are a Dwell tenant and missed this one, there is another morning tea just like this in town on Thursday 1 October, from 10–12 midday, at 2/57 Willis Street, above Unity Books. See you there.

Special thanks to Vania from for joining us.

28/09/2026

A big big welcome to Ebba, who joined the Dwell team today as our Tenancy Administrator.

We marked the occasion with a mihi whakatau attended by Ebba's colleagues from Wellington Women's House, her partner, and the Dwell whānau. It was a beautiful and moving welcome that built on the strong relationship between our organisations and our shared commitment to supporting people in our communities.

One of the most touching moments was hearing Ebba described as a taonga by those who know her well. We already feel incredibly lucky to have her join Dwell.

It also gave us a safe space to share Dwell's new karakia and waiata which speak to the warmth that we create and nurture through our shared mahi. Thanks for being our willing audience WWH!

Nau mai, Ebba. We're so glad you're here.

16/09/2026

This year, Dwell and DCM Wellington have worked together through the Housing First programme to move 40 people from rough sleeping into secure homes. That's a significant milestone and one that's making a visible difference in our communities.

Housing First works because a home provides the stability people need to focus on other areas of their lives.

One young Housing First tenant has taken their new tenancy incredibly seriously. They're studying, working, keeping in touch with our team and taking responsibility for their obligations. If rent is going to be late, they let us know. If something needs attention, they reach out.

Another tenant had been in their home for just three weeks when a tenancy inspection was due. Our team arrived expecting to see someone still settling in. Instead, they found a home that was meticulously cared for – everything in its place. For our tenancy team, it was a sign that the tenant valued their home and respected the opportunity which meant a great deal to them.

We're proud of this milestone, and even prouder of the people who are turning these houses into homes.

15/06/2026

We’ve got some special news to share 💛

Our 43-home village in Kilbirnie, Mahora Te Aroha, has won an NZIA Architecture Award for multi-unit housing at the Wellington Architecture Awards!

The judges loved the sense of community created here and how the design makes village life possible.

While this award goes to the talented team at Novak+Middleton, it reflects a truly collaborative effort alongside builders Wilson Commercial and others to deliver 43 warm, safe, and affordable homes in the heart of Kilbirnie, close to schools, parks, health services, and community spaces.

We’re so grateful to everyone who helped bring this vision to life and to Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZ Institute of Architects for recognising how important good community housing is.

This is what home looks like 🏡



Photo credit: Abbie Dorrington

10/06/2026

We’ve got a new team member at Dwell. Meet Belle 🚗

Pictured here with Ofu and Ash at Lyall Bay, she’s been taking our tenancy team across the region to connect with residents and check in on our homes. She drives like a dream.

Having a reliable vehicle like Belle makes all the difference in how we show up, ensuring we can respond quickly, stay connected, and take good care of both our residents and the homes they live in.

04/06/2026

Check out DCM's guidance around a public submission for the Move-On Orders.

01/06/2026

We are thrilled to see Dwell Ambassador Peter Boshier, recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours with a knighthood. This well‑deserved acknowledgement reflects a lifetime dedicated to fairness, integrity, and social justice.

For more than a decade, Sir Peter has been a valued Patron of Dwell Housing Trust, quietly championing our kaupapa and the importance of safe, stable housing for all. Over the past 12 months, following his retirement as Chief Ombudsman, he has stepped into a more active role as Dwell’s Ambassador, bringing even greater time, energy, and advocacy to our mission.

His commitment to community, transparency, and equity aligns beautifully with our belief that everyone deserves a place to call home.

Ngā mihi nui Sir Peter, for your unwavering dedication and service. We are proud to have you alongside us on this journey.

Arise Sir Peter 👏

The knighthood bestowed on Sir Peter Boshier in today’s King’s Birthday Honours is a richly deserved recognition of a life spent in service to justice, fairness and the public good.

Born and educated in Gisborne before heading south to study law at our own Victoria University of Wellington, Sir Peter’s career has been grounded in community, and he has dedicated his life to making public institutions work better for New Zealanders. 

Like many of us, Wellington became Sir Peter’s much-loved home and helped shape his career. Living in Thorndon, he enjoys the stunning heritage architecture and walkability of this city.

After practising law in Wellington over many years, he rose through the judiciary to become Principal Family Court Judge, later serving as a Law Commissioner and then Chief Ombudsman. Across those roles, he earned a reputation for mindful independence, compassion and thoughtful leadership. 

He also faced significant challenges. Boshier stated he remains haunted to this day by his involvement in court proceedings following the torture and death of five-year-old Malachi Subecz, who was violently abused and murdered by his caregiver in 2021.

"I found that deeply moving. I've been through many court cases and many investigations and at the end I could barely control my emotions. I regret the fact that collectively we still don't keep our young children and our babies safe.”

In a city that prides itself on public service, Sir Peter’s commitment to family wellbeing, transparency and public accountability has left a lasting mark on both the law and public life.

Today’s honour celebrates not only an exceptional career, but a lifetime of service that has helped make New Zealand a more open, humane and just society.

Thank you Sir Peter for your wonderful service.

20/05/2026

Welcome Ashwini – Dwell’s newest Tenancy Manager.

Ashwini joins us from , another community housing provider here in Wellington. She brings a depth of experience, along with a thoughtful and fresh perspective, and we are delighted to welcome her to Dwell.

What we’ve already come to appreciate about Ashwini:

- She has great style.
- Her sense of humour fits in perfectly.
- She is incredibly respectful of everyone she works with and supports.

Her arrival was marked by a beautiful mihi whakatau, shared with colleagues from He Herenga Kura. It was such a lovely occasion and a special way to welcome Ashwini into Dwell. It also reflected the strength of relationships across our sector, and the shared commitment we have to supporting whānau into stable, secure homes.

We do recognise we’ve nabbed one of their awesome team members (thank you, He Herenga Kura 😄), but her move also brings a real opportunity to build closer connections between our organisations. We’re looking forward to what that partnership might grow into - more to share on that very soon.

Welcome, Ashwini - we’re so glad you’re here.

18/05/2026

On Saturday, the Dwell Board took their strategy day on the road 🚐. We spent the morning visiting some of Dwell’s community villages (existing and in progress). It’s one thing to review plans and budgets… it’s another to stand in the spaces that will soon be home to families.

Ever grateful for this amazing group of Board members who, as volunteers, dedicate so much of their time and energy to supporting Dwell and ensuring we are on the right path.