Government Support For Community-based Initiatives Best Way To Boost Home Ownership

Friday, 24 July 2020, 4:41 pm
Press Release: Community Housing Aotearoa

Partnerships between Community Housing Providers and government are the most effective way to get Kiwi families into a place of their own, says Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) Deputy CEO Chris Glaudel.

Housing Minister Megan Woods today announced the government has signed up the first two providers delivering assisting low to median income families into home ownership. The initiatives delivered by Housing Foundation and Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) will get 100 families into home ownership. Today’s announcement is the first phase of a programme the government says will help up to 4000 families into their own homes.

Glaudel said Community Housing Providers had already worked together with the government on a number of social housing initiatives tailored to meet the varying needs of different communities. “We want to do more – and with this type of support we can and will do more,” Glaudel said.

Many CHA members, including Housing Foundation and QLCHT, had well-established track records of providing stable and secure housing for families that would otherwise struggle to own their own home. Tapping into that expertise ensured the government would get value for money, said Glaudel.

Glaudel said that while homelessness makes the headlines, it is only one of a large number of overlapping issues that contribute to New Zealand’s current housing crisis.

“We know that home ownership helps families build not only material wealth, but also better connections with their communities and better futures for their children; sadly, too many New Zealanders are effectively locked out of the private housing market but also unable to access state- provided housing,” Glaudel said.

“Whether through agreements lowering the cost of land such as that operated by QLCHT, or through the more common progressive home ownership models such as Rent to Buy or Shared Equity, our member organisations offer families alternative ways to work towards home ownership that meet their individual needs, and also provide the ongoing stewardship that keeps families in those homes.”

“If there’s one thing the past two decades should have taught us, it is that neither the market nor the state can by itself ensure all New Zealanders are well-housed,” said Glaudel.

“Community housing providers have proven that, with the right support, we can deliver great outcomes.”

“Today’s announcement, and the positive comments recently made by politicians of varying persuasions, give us hope that message is getting through. We look forward to the further announcements of those working in the iwi and Maori pathway and other phase one providers.”

Community Housing Aotearoa is the umbrella group for New Zealand’s community housing sector. Our 90 provider members house approximately 25,000 people nationally across 13,000 homes. More information is available at www.communityhousing.org.nz.

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Community Housing Aotearoa

Nga Wharerau o Aotearoa

Community Housing Aotearoa is the peak body for New Zealand's community housing sector. Our 110 members build and manage affordable and social housing.

Our Vision is to make sure every New Zealander is well-housed in a warm, safe, dry and affordable home. This is a basic human right.

We work to support the growth and development of community housing providers to enable them to provide affordable and social housing.

We want to demonstrate that community housing is a critical element alongside private and government owned housing. No one can do it alone.

Community Housing Aotearoa aims to:

1. be the voice of the community housing sector
2. build capacity and foster collaboration
3. promote best practice in housing policy
4. champion quality and excellence.

Contact Community Housing Aotearoa

• Website - communityhousing.org.nz/
• Our Place - Learn how we think this can be achieved
• Phone - +64 4 385 8722
• About us - Our 2021 annual report is online here
• Email - support@communityhousing.org.nz
• Link - Members directory
• Physical Address - Level 11, Ranchhod Tower, 39 The Terrace/102-112 Lambton Quay, Wellington