Housing Upgrade - Community Action Programme

The Community Action Programme (CAP) is a Wellington City Council initiative that aims to improve the lives of our tenants. It recognises that housing is the foundation of communities and provides the base from which bonds are formed with the outside world.

Through Community Action we aim to help tenants create pride in their place, make new friends, learn new skills and feel proud of their home.

The programme aims to increase social cohesion, community spirit, and develop pride within communities. It supports tenants to have greater participation in decisions that affect their lives, allowing them to improve their living standards and their overall well-being.

We work alongside the Housing Upgrade Project, Wellington City Council's 20-year upgrade of its housing portfolio. Incorporating Community Action into this work acknowledges that it's not just about bricks and mortar but, just as importantly, about the people that live there too.

One of our recent workshops, Cheap as Chips, was about teaching Council tenants to cook nutritious food on a budget. This workshop was the subject of a TVNZ documentary that was part of the New Zealand Stories series. To view this video:

One NZ Stories - Cheap as Chips - TVNZ website

Work on the Community Action Programme includes:

• improving community facilities (like communal indoor and outdoor spaces and gardens)
• organising social and recreational programmes and activities
• introducing exercise and art classes
• upgrading children's play areas
• helping build a sense of safety
• providing tenants with greater access to information and advice on health and other community services.

Find out more about our Community Action Programme by watching this video:

Community Action - Vimeo website

Find out more about the housing upgrade, see:

Housing Upgrade - Programme of Work

Department Details:
City Housing