Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust chief executive Cate Kearney was named Savills Property Professional of the Year at Property Council New Zealand’s South Island Property People Awards in Christchurch tonight, with the trust she leads also taking home the BESIX Watpac City Shaper Award. The trust has built 401 new homes while keeping construction cost increases to about 5 per cent, against 30 to 40 per cent nationally.
“Right across New Zealand, the cost of building homes is one of the biggest barriers to housing people well. Cate and her team have shown there’s another way, and they’ve done it here in Christchurch,” says Property Council chief executive Leonie Freeman.
As the trust’s inaugural chief executive, Ms Kearney has built it into the South Island’s largest community housing provider, managing 2,500 homes across 110 communities. It has returned more than $130 million to Christchurch City Council in lease payments and invested a further $55 million improving the homes the council still owns.
The trust consults tenants and neighbours before it designs and builds, and it draws in private capital, including KiwiSaver-backed investment, to fund new homes.
“Cate didn’t inherit a successful organisation, she built one. The trust has proved affordable housing can match the quality of the best private developments, and other providers now travel to Christchurch to learn from it,” says Freeman.
The night’s top honour, the Tuatahi First Fibre Supreme Excellence Award, went to the Te Kaha Team behind One New Zealand Stadium, which also won the Veros Best Team category. The team brought together 3,985 people across more than 110 organisations and delivered the stadium ahead of schedule and $26.6 million under budget.
Ms Kearney was one of three women honoured on the night. Southbase Construction’s Kate Butterfield was named Greenwood Roche Young Achiever of the Year, and Colliers Christchurch director Courtney Doig won the Women in Property Award.
“From housing thousands of Cantabrians to changing how a national builder thinks about carbon, these women are leading some of the most important work in our region. Their success sends a clear message to anyone starting out: there’s a place for you in property, and a path to the very top,” says Freeman.
Ms Butterfield is the only dedicated sustainability professional in a business of about 220 people and leads Southbase’s carbon management programme. Ms Doig began her career answering phones in her family’s business and has since brokered more than $1 billion of commercial property, specialising in earthquake-damaged and heritage buildings.
Christchurch City Council’s Mark Noonan received both the Judges’ Choice and Long Service awards. Over more than 45 years with the council, he has helped deliver Christchurch Art Gallery, Taiora: QEII, Parakiore and Te Kaha.
Property Council has presented the South Island Property People Awards since 2015, recognising excellence, innovation and leadership across the region’s property industry.
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