Press Release – Hastings District Council Hastings District Councils ground-breaking collaborative approach to addressing the districts critical housing shortage has been recognised with a national award. Last night, the council received the BERL Award for Collaborative Government Action … Hastings District Council’s ground-breaking collaborative approach to addressing the district’s critical housing shortage has been recognised with a national award. Last night, the council received the BERL Award for Collaborative Government Action for its Place Based Housing Solution at the Taituarā – Local Government Professionals Aotearoa Awards. The award recognised the outstanding results that had been achieved through the combined efforts of government agencies, mana whenua, community support groups working on the coalface to address housing needs in the community, and council.