Community Housing Aotearoa Welcomes Further Detail On Affordable Housing Fund

Thursday, 21 July 2022, 10:37 am
Press Release: Community Housing Aotearoa

Community Housing Aotearoa welcomes the announcement of the Affordable Housing Fund, which will provide much needed capital grants to community housing providers.

Community Housing Aotearoa Chief Executive, Vic Crockford says that we need to double down on our efforts to get more affordable rentals built and that the Affordable Housing Fund, which will fund up to 50% of project costs for affordable rental developments, makes a good start towards that.

“Many households are finding it extremely difficult to pay rent and the impact of that is a swelling transitional housing waitlist and too many of our children in temporary accommodation, unable to put down roots.

The Affordable Housing Fund is a welcome start to making a difference in their lives.”

The community housing sector delivers a range of housing options in communities all around the country, with over 40 years’ expertise in delivering long-term, affordable rentals. This, says Crockford, makes them best placed to deliver on the intent of the Fund.

“Community housing providers are in it for the long haul – they are focused every day on how they can do more to get more affordable homes built and more people out of homelessness and into secure, healthy places to call home.

As well as being experts at affordable developments, community housing providers are committed to walking alongside people in their housing journey, whether that be through social support services, financial education, car sharing or digital literacy. They are proud to build and be part of intentional, thriving communities and are absolutely best placed to deliver on the Affordable Housing Fund.”

It has been over six years since upfront capital funding was available to community housing providers, and Crockford says that those in the target regions are ready and waiting with projects in the pipeline.

“Just one community housing provider in Wellington has over 150 homes in their pipeline and there are many, many more across the six target regions looking forward to a much needed boost of capital.”

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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