Hon Phil Heatley
Minister of Housing
28 May 2009
Community housing gets $40 million boost
Budget 2009 will provide an extra $40 million for housing services over the next four years, Housing Minister Phil
Heatley says.
Most of the additional money – $20 million in capital funding – will go to Housing New Zealand’s Housing Innovation
Fund.
“This funding fulfils the Government’s pre-election commitment to boost the resources available to the community and
voluntary sector for affordable housing,” Mr Heatley says.
“Resources will be targeted at providers who have a proven track record of helping people into affordable rental
accommodation and home ownership. This will ensure that in this time of need, we get the most homes for the money
available through the Housing Innovation Fund.
“Notably, $5 million of this new funding is for phasing in Maori development projects, to complement the work under the
Rural Housing Programme.
“I will be reviewing how to get further value from the fund before making future financial commitments to it. However,
the boost we have given the fund in this Budget underscores the government’s support for the role of community and
voluntary sector in housing,” Mr Heatley says.
Budget 2009 provides $12 million over the next two financial years in operating funding for Housing New Zealand’s Rural
Housing Programme.
“Government funding for the Rural Housing Programme expired a year ago, leaving Housing New Zealand to fund it
internally. Supporting quality, affordable housing in rural areas is a significant issue,” Mr Heatley says.
Budget 2009 provides another $6.4 million in operating funding in 2009/10 for the Residential Tenancies Services.
ENDS