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News & Media

February 20, 2020 In Media Releases

UN visit identifies actions for New Zealand to address housing crisis

19 February 2020 – For immediate use

“The visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing has reinforced the need to view good, affordable homes as a fundamental human right – and highlighted what needs to happen to ensure all New Zealanders are well-housed,” says Scott Figenshow, Chief Executive of Community Housing Aotearoa.

UN Special Rapporteur Leilani Farha has been in New Zealand since 10 February to gather information and insights into how the human right to housing is being realised in New Zealand. She has released a preliminary summary of her findings and recommendations (Ms Farha’s media release and end-of-mission statement is available here). A comprehensive report of the visit will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2021.

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February 13, 2020 In Media Releases

Community housing providers: government homelessness announcement is the turning point we’ve been waiting for

Community housing providers are welcoming the Government’s announcement of a homelessness action plan backed by $300 million of extra funding.

“In 10 years’ time New Zealand will look back on this announcement as a turning point in how we bring an end to the housing crisis,” says Scott Figenshow, Chief Executive of Community Housing Aotearoa (www.communityhousing.org.nz), the sector body for community housing providers around New Zealand.

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January 24, 2019 In News

Opinion: The will and the way to solve housing affordability

Paul Majurey, of Marutūāhu descent, chairs the Waimahia and Puhinui Park community housing developments.

A few weeks ago, we saw the blessing of the final homes to be occupied at the Waimahia housing development. Five years of collective effort has transformed 16ha of green pasture at Weymouth into a 1200 strong community living in 295 homes.

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December 14, 2015 In Media Releases

New affordable homes for Christchurch

Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed the opening of the Hornby Project complex, an initiative being delivered by a consortium of community housing providers to provide a range of affordable housing solutions for low income Christchurch families.

Read the press release at scoop.co.nz

June 24, 2015 In In The Media, News

Foundation awards hard working organisations

Organisations from across New Zealand were honoured for their outstanding contribution to the community and environment at a ceremony at Government House in Auckland tonight.

The event, hosted by Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae, saw special recognition awards presented by the Tindall Foundation to five “exceptional organisations and influencers”.

The New Zealand Housing Foundation (NZHF) was given the award for outstanding contribution to the local community, acknowledging its work developing affordable houses for low income families.

Stephen Tindall, who founded his family’s philanthropic foundation with wife Margaret 20 years ago, said the NZHF had given many people the chance to own their own home and improve their quality of life.

Read the full article on NZHerald.co.nz

August 28, 2014 In In The Media

Duncan Garner: Brand new, 4-bedrooms, Auckland – $447k. Why didn’t David Cunliffe come here?

I’ve been out to Waimahia Inlet housing project in Weymouth; 282 houses which are regarded as affordable Auckland houses.

And the truth is this is affordable, because developers and their need for hefty margins and profits aren’t involved. That’s the difference.

Houses start at $322k for two bedrooms, up to $515k for five bedrooms. It’s set on 16 hectares of former Crown land – houses with a view too. It is what’s called ‘social housing’.

What that means is a number of agencies have come together to provide the houses; Government, iwi and other community housing trusts. It’s a not-for-profit organisation, but this is not state housing: it’s social housing.

Read the full article at magic.co.nz

October 28, 2013 In In The Media, News

Govt to spend $16.7m on new social housing in Auckland

The Government is to spend $16.7 million on 87 new houses as part of community social housing projects in Auckland.

The announcement was made this afternoon by Housing Minister Nick Smith at Trent St, Avondale, where 28 new homes will be built over the next year.

The Government will partner four community organisations, which will also contribute funding to build the houses.

The Trent St site is a partnership with the New Zealand Housing Foundation, which has received $4.2m from the Government’s Social Housing Fund for a $9.7m development, which will provide 20 houses.

It is expected 28 units will be built on the site, of which eight will be sold to help fund the development.

They will be aimed at low-income tenants, with some offered as rentals and some under a rent-to-buy scheme.

Read the article on NZHerald.co.nz

February 27, 2013 In In The Media

A house at last

Hepi Tapa and Sebastiano Simonetti were one of our first families to move into our Addison, Takanini development, just before Christmas 2012. In an interview with the Papakura Courier Hepi describes it as the best Christmas present they could have hoped for!

February 19, 2009 In In The Media

Trust’s helping hand makes families at home

Terence, Belinda and Daniel Smith were one of our first families to move into our West Coast Road development. They were featured in the New Zealand Herald shortly after moving in, talking about how surprised they are that the mortgage on their brand new home is manageable for them with the help of HF.