Community Housing Aotearoa welcomes the announcement of the Affordable Housing Fund, which will provide much needed capital grants to community housing providers.
Community Housing Aotearoa Chief Executive, Vic Crockford says that we need to double down on our efforts to get more affordable rentals built and that the Affordable Housing Fund, which will fund up to 50% of project costs for affordable rental developments, makes a good start towards that.
“Many households are finding it extremely difficult to pay rent and the impact of that is a swelling transitional housing waitlist and too many of our children in temporary accommodation, unable to put down roots.
The Affordable Housing Fund is a welcome start to making a difference in their lives.”
The community housing sector delivers a range of housing options in communities all around the country, with over 40 years’ expertise in delivering long-term, affordable rentals. This, says Crockford, makes them best placed to deliver on the intent of the Fund.
“Community housing providers are in it for the long haul – they are focused every day on how they can do more to get more affordable homes built and more people out of homelessness and into secure, healthy places to call home.
As well as being experts at affordable developments, community housing providers are committed to walking alongside people in their housing journey, whether that be through social support services, financial education, car sharing or digital literacy. They are proud to build and be part of intentional, thriving communities and are absolutely best placed to deliver on the Affordable Housing Fund.”
It has been over six years since upfront capital funding was available to community housing providers, and Crockford says that those in the target regions are ready and waiting with projects in the pipeline.
“Just one community housing provider in Wellington has over 150 homes in their pipeline and there are many, many more across the six target regions looking forward to a much needed boost of capital.”
