Auckland is full of apartment buildings A plan is being hatched to set up a gay men’s retirement community in an apartment building in Auckland, complete with a care worker or “houseboy” living in the complex and shared facilities such as a swimming pool and garden. The proposal comes from a survey carried out by OUTLine and Mike Keegan, which nearly 60 older gay men took part it. It found sufficient interest in the idea, and a strong majority preferring to live in an apartment in the city or central suburbs. Most would be able to buy an apartment for between $250,000 and a million dollars, and wished to share facilities such as gardens, a common lounge and bar and pool. The team looking into the idea found that setting up a full scale retirement village would require too much capital and also cost a lot in management fees, and mean people would lose full title to their property. It’s come up with the concept of forming a group and deciding on an appropriate apartment building in the city or close suburbs that members would like to live in. Individuals and couples could then buy or rent units that suited their financial circumstances, as they became available, “and gradually take over,” as the concept plan puts it. “When a sufficient number are living there (or by arrangement) an additional weekly fee could be charged to cover renting another apartment to house and pay a care worker or houseboy,” it continues. The plan points out there are over 100 apartment buildings in the city plus more in suburbs such as Ponsonby, Parnell and Newmarket. It adds these are close to Auckland Hospital, doctors, dentists, transport, libraries, galleries, restaurants, supermarkets and cinemas. A public meeting for anyone interested in the plan will be held at OUTLine’s offices, which are in Pompellier Centre Unit 1 in Three Lamps, Ponsonby, from 6PM in Monday 12 November.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 25th October 2012 - 12:40pm