Annie Wilson – Kāinga Maha - The Economics of belonging
Building indistinguishable mixed-tenure communities in Christchurch
In this episode, we talk with Annie Wilson, Chief Executive of Kāinga Maha, a community housing developer based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Annie has extensive experience across local government, policy, and housing development, bringing a grounded understanding of what it takes to deliver affordable and inclusive communities. Under her leadership, Kāinga Maha has been pioneering approaches that blend design quality, social outcomes, and long-term community stability — creating neighbourhoods that feel cohesive, welcoming, and enduring.
Our conversation explores how Kāinga Maha is advancing mixed blind tenure — developments where affordable, market, and social housing are indistinguishable from one another. Annie explains how this model supports social integration and dignity for all residents, while tackling affordability at scale through partnership-based delivery with iwi, councils, and developers. We discuss inclusionary zoning, innovative funding structures, and the lessons learned from Kāinga Maha’s Christchurch projects that demonstrate what genuine, community-led housing can achieve in Aotearoa.
This CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.
