When you arrive at Petone's Jackson Street, you can see why locals call it the Bronx.
Rubbish is overflowing from bins, the paint is pulling away from the buildings and police tape is still there from a murder and decapitation just over a week ago.
It's one of three killings in the block in the past five years.
Now Housing New Zealand says it's time for an upgrade, and National's MP for Hutt South, Chris Bishop, agrees.
"The Jackson Street apartments are some of the oldest in the Hutt Valley," he says.
"As you can see, they're in urgent need of an upgrade."
The redevelopment is part of a programme to upgrade 75 percent of Housing New Zealand properties in the next two decades.
But Mr Bishop says this particular block was actually signed off for an upgrade by National last year.
"A plan actually went to the Housing New Zealand board in July 2017 to spend $10.3 million remediating and refurbishing those. It's very disappointing that 15 to 16 months on we've seen no action on that."
Housing New Zealand wouldn't go on camera, but they do concede the Jackson Street apartments are in dire need of an upgrade. They say they're exploring options and that they want tenants in warm dry homes.
Mr Bishop believes with a bit of love, the homes have potential.
"There's some fantastic people down there and a real thriving community. We've got to make sure we look after those people."
As many in the neighbourhood would tell you, they've been through enough already.
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