Budget Statement From Cate Kearney, Chief Executive Of Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust

It is pleasing to see the public and transitional housing need acknowledged by Government funding in the 2020 budget.

COVID- 19 has created a crisis that will impact many New Zealanders. People have lost jobs and without steady income paying rent or a mortgage is a real issue for them. With housing making up a large chunk of people’s costs, there may be an increase in the demand for social housing.

The additional funding announced today also acknowledges the need for accommodation for the homeless (transitional housing). More than 750 people were housed across NZ as we entered Covid-19 lockdown. I believe that shows that the community housing sector is nimble, and together with the Government, we can help the homeless. Next, we want to see these 750 in a stable home.

We have worked together as a country amazingly in the last seven weeks to achieve what we have, and we must keep working together as we rebuild and support our communities to recover and grow in the weeks, months and even years to come. Having a strong social housing sector is a critical part of this recovery.

The Ōtautahi Trust continues to work hard to provide warm, comfortable homes for those who need them, giving them much needed stability, and we are now back on track building our current pipeline of 130 new homes.

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