Provide homes now – reap the benefits later

Wednesday, 12 April 2017, 10:59 am
Press Release: Community Housing Aotearoa

EMBARGOED to 12 April 2017 – 5.00am

Provide homes now – reap the benefits later

New research shows the benefits of good housing and indicates the long term benefits of helping people move between private and social housing into home ownership says peak body, Community Housing Aotearoa.

The three pieces of research commissioned by the New Zealand Housing Foundation are:

· The Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit looked at over 120 international studies to see if there was a link between better housing tenure and positive social and economic outcomes

· Research from BERL models the fiscal impact of transitioning New Zealand renters into home ownership; and

· Nexus Research surveyed nearly 300 households in a new Auckland community-built using the principles of community development and place making, and tracks residents experience of life before and after moving there.

The research can be found here.

“This research backs up what we’re seeing day to day – good housing is an up-front social investment that reduces long-term welfare liability down the track,” Scott Figenshow, CEO of Community Housing Aotearoa says.

“It’s the evidence that shows us we need to make as much effort as possible to reverse the trend of fewer people owning their own homes. We will be better off as a country in the long term if we support and assist home ownership and more tenure security in housing for families and individuals,” Scott Figenshow says.

“The work of community housing providers like New Zealand Housing Foundation, assisting low-income families into home ownership, has many positive outcomes. More families over the country need access to these housing options that they aren’t able to access any other way.

“Great progress is underway in the emergency and social housing end of the housing continuum. But what we haven’t seen enough of is mid-continuum support for assisted rental and assisted ownership.”

Scott Figenshow commented that there are 43 Community Housing Regulatory Authority (CHRA) registered organisations capable of delivering homes across the range of social and affordable housing.

“The research shows we should support these organisations to grow in scale to meet the demand for both social and affordable homes.

“The solutions of supply by providing more land, greater intensification and removing obstacles for development can contribute.

Additional research by Sense Partners, commissioned by Community Housing Aotearoa, also shows that inclusionary zoning is a safe tool to assist in delivering affordable rental and assisted homeownership, Scott Figenshow comments.

“We have the tools, we just need to use them more actively.”

(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