The Government programme to repair 5000 earthquake-damaged properties in Christchurch has been completed.
The quakes damaged 95 percent of Housing New Zealand's properties, affecting roughly 20,000 tenants.
The programme was finished ahead of the December 31 target.
Bill English, the Minister responsible for Housing New Zealand, was in Christchurch to mark the occasion.
"Not only have the repairs been completed ahead of time, but our tenants can now enjoy houses in better condition than they were before the earthquakes," he says.
Mr English says the completed programme is a significant milestone in the city's rebuild and recovery.
He visited the 5000th property repair this morning and met with the tenant whose house has been repainted and had new carpets and ventilation installed.
"In order to improve the lives and living standards of our customers in Christchurch, Housing New Zealand is spending about $150 million on repairs to the homes they currently occupy, as well as $200 million on building 700 new homes," he says.
"Three-hundred of those are finished and the rest are either under construction or under contract to be completed early next year, returning the numbers of Housing New Zealand homes to pre-earthquake levels."
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