The Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) is celebrating its 15-year anniversary, having helped 243 households across the Queenstown Lakes District into affordable housing.

Since forming in 2007, the Trust has assisted local households into affordable, secure tenure housing throughout the district, under a variety of programmes: 124 into the Shared Ownership programme, 60 into Affordable Rentals (including Public Housing), 13 into the Rent Saver (rent to buy) programme and 46 into the award-winning Secure Home programme.

QLCHT chair Richard Thomas says there are a number of key factors which have enabled the Trust to reach the milestone 15-year mark.

“Most notably these include the ongoing support of Queenstown Lakes District Council, which has gifted significant tracts of land to the Trust, along with facilitating further contributions of land from private developers through the inclusionary zoning process,” he says. “This Council should be commended for the leadership it has shown in the space of affordable housing.

“In addition to this, we’re fortunate to have an excellent relationship with central Government, which has resulted in various grants and interest-free loans over the years, as well as strong ties with local funders such as the Central Lakes Trust.”

Over the 15-year period, QLCHT has delivered homes throughout the entire district from Glenorchy through to Hāwea. This has included working with third parties, such as the 2021 purchase of 50 Toru apartments in Frankton, as well as many of the Trust’s own developments such as Nerin Square and Alps View at Lake Hayes Estate (40 homes), Suffolk St, Arrowtown (10 homes), Shotover Country (50 homes) and Wanaka (19 homes).

Each QLCHT programme offers different benefits for local individuals, couples and families. Founded out of the 2017 Mayoral Housing Taskforce, the Secure Home model recently won the Leading Innovation Award at the Australasian Housing Institute's annual Brighter Future Awards.

The honour recognises new thinking in the housing sector for initiatives or projects that have led to significant change in an organisation, with lessons that can then be applied more broadly to other housing organisations.

A record 795 eligible households on QLCHT’s waiting list means the Trust must continue to expand its operations across the district.

QLCHT Executive Officer Julie Scott, who has been with the Trust since its inception, says: “Whilst 15 years is a significant milestone to celebrate, with nearly 800 households currently needing housing assistance, this is no time to rest on our laurels. We must continue to scale up operations and delivery of homes accordingly.

“To this end we have a further 10 homes currently under construction in Northlake, earthworks are due to commence this spring on the 68-Lot Tewa Banks development in Arrowtown, and we have construction scheduled to start on 28 homes in Longview, Hawea early next year.”

The Trust has recently completed a brand review, which has resulted in new logo and refreshed vision, being transform the lives of committed people in our district by providing them an opportunity to secure an affordable place to call home.

© Scoop Media