Housing Charity backs call for Progressive Home Ownership option in KiwiBuild

Habitat for Humanity New Zealand agrees with the Salvation Army’s call for expanding access to home ownership through a form of Progressive Home Ownership as part of the government’s KiwiBuild scheme. The housing charity, which has assisted hundreds of families in New Zealand into home ownership since 1993, believes this would allow families who find KiwiBuild homes unaffordable to realise their dream of home ownership.

“We know that progressive home ownership is the only way to make home ownership affordable for many families”, explains Alan Thorp, Habitat for Humanity NZ Acting CEO, adding “We know this model works, because Habitat have been doing this for the past 25 years. It needs to become part of KiwiBuild”.

“We’ve spoken to Minister Twyford about progressive home ownership, and we know he is willing to act” said Mr Thorp. “We have the expertise and are ready to offer Habitat’s services to assist many hundreds of families into home ownership as part of KiwiBuild.”

Habitat for Humanity has helped hundreds of families in New Zealand into home ownership using a form of progressive home ownership. “In the last 25 years, Habitat have built over 500 homes across New Zealand using this model” Mr Thorp said.

Habitat for Humanity has been advocating that the government should adopt its model as part of KiwiBuild for some time. The NZ Green Party in Opposition announced its housing policy at Habitat for Humanity’s 2016 conference, including a policy of Progressive Home Ownership. This policy is now part of the confidence and supply agreement between the Labour and Green parties, and a government commitment.

“We think Habitat’s model is pretty special, and we want more families to have the opportunity to access it” said Mr Thorp. “The government has the ability to do progressive home ownership on a large scale.”

“Often the families we serve are living with young children in overcrowded, damp and cold rentals. Now they own a simple, decent house – their own home” said Mr Thorp

“Habitat’s model is to select families in need based on their future potential, and to partner with them over a number of years. They make affordable repayments and volunteer their own ‘sweat equity’. The rent they pay eventually helps build up a deposit to buy their home at the value on the day they moved in” Mr Thorp explained. “Habitat’s model of progressive home ownership is transformative for families who could not otherwise own a home.”

Habitat for Humanity New Zealand is a not-for-profit organisation with a vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat works in partnership with people of goodwill and low income families in New Zealand and overseas to help provide access to affordable shelter. It is part of the global Habitat for Humanity organisation which has worked with over 1 million families worldwide. Habitat for Humanity provides strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.

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