The Salvation Army
Media Release

Sallies welcome council's $9m affordable housing initiative

Wellington, 13 September 2007 - The Salvation Army is welcoming the Auckland City Council announcement that it will provide up to $9m to support the building of at least 100 affordable homes in Auckland.

The council announced today that it would provide the funding to the New Zealand Housing Foundation over five years, in conjunction with McConnell Property, as a positive way to help address the issue of declining home affordability.

Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit Manager, Ian Kilgour, says that the Auckland City Council is to be commended for stepping up to support the construction of affordable houses.

"This kind of initiative where councils, non-profits and the private sector work together to provide affordable housing is a very good model that we would like to see followed in other parts of the country.

"Levels of home ownership have slipped to record lows and this has created a 'housing gap' that has set back tens of thousands of Kiwis who can no longer afford their own home.

"The availability of good quality, affordable housing is a key issue for our society because housing is an essential contributor to social wellbeing and supports families and nurtures children.

"The Salvation Army's recent report 'Rebuilding the Kiwi Dream' called on the Government to increase its commitment to affordable housing by investing up to $1 billion dollars annually for the next decade to build and provide mortgages for affordable houses.

"The Auckland City Council initiative represents a real commitment to affordable housing that we hope government will watch closely in setting its own housing policy."

ENDS

www.salvationarmy.org.nz

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