Budget sets clock ticking on final funding decisions

Friday, 20 May 2011, 1:14 pm
Press Release: Community Housing Aotearoa

Third party housing providers in New Zealand represented by Community Housing Aotearoa are cautiously encouraged by Housing Minister Phil Heatley’s Budget-related announcement that allocations from a tagged contingency fund of up to $45 million will be coming their way soon.

“What we know at this stage are that decisions on options for extending, replacing or rolling together the likes of the Housing Innovation Fund programme (HIF) and the Rural Housing Programme have ostensibly yet to be made,” says David McCartney, Executive Officer of Community Housing Aotearoa.

“We also know that the countdown for making the next move is now extremely tight – with final and detailed decisions promised by 30 June.

“At one level it is, of course, disappointing that the previous Budget appropriation of funding committed to initiatives such as HIF, have now disappeared off the Treasury books. It is of potential concern too that a policy direction towards larger projects should not exclude or sideline smaller niche providers.
“On the other hand, based on repeated and highly trusted statements by the Minister, our members remain hopeful that access to the contingency fund will indeed allow us to play our part in significantly increasing the pool of affordable and social housing.

“This would be in line with last year’s recommendations of the Ministerial Housing Advisory Group, chaired by Dr Alan Jackson (now the new chair of Housing New Zealand Corporation), and in line with Cabinet’s broad acceptance of those recommendations”.

For further Budget commentary please visit www.communityhousing.org.nz

ENDS

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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