Project Demonstrates Need For Combined Efforts

Wednesday, 18 February 2009, 10:46 am
Press Release: Community Housing Aotearoa

Media Release/ 18 February 2009

COMMUNITY HOUSING AOTEAROA

Project Demonstrates Need For Combined Efforts To House Our Communities

Today's opening of six new housing units at a site in Newtown in Wellington is a demonstration of what can be achieved when funding is directed to responsible community housing organisations says Thérèse Quinlivan, Executive Director of Community Housing Aotearoa.

"Community Housing Aotearoa commends the Wellington Housing Trust on the completion of this construction project - it is prime example of what it means to make a commitment to building for the future," says Thérèse Quinlivan.

"We support the view expressed by Wellington Housing Trust's Director, Alison Cadman, that the time is ripe for well placed organisations in the community housing sector to be supported on a larger scale. We are now just awaiting our opportunity to put this argument more fully to the new Government".

"The Wellington Housing Trust's Newtown project shows that organisations in the community housing sector offer viable partners for developments that are designed to overcome often chronic shortages of suitable, affordable housing for families set within existing communities".

"The Trust is meeting an undervalued need to house our communities in housing that isn't privately owned and that isn't State housing. The lesson in this is that we need to continue to build the capabilities of organisations such as the Trust. As we keep saying, this is an underdeveloped and often neglected sector that is overdue for more investment to bring us into line with the more mature approaches taken to community housing internationally".

"The Housing Innovation Fund (HIF) is due to be increased to $20 million. That is still a drop in the bucket. Community Housing Aotearoa has advocated for a stronger capital investment aspect to future funding so that projects like the one being opened today - which has been costed at $2 million with the bulk of funding as a loan under the HIF - can be initiated around New Zealand as both a much-needed boost to the economy and a support for social development for the years ahead".

See Wellington Housing Trust media release: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0902/S00216.htm

ends

© Scoop Media

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