Housing trust pledges 1000 affordable homes for Queenstown Lakes District by 2028

The Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust today announces a commitment to building 1000 affordable homes for local families over the next 10 years.

QLCHT celebrated 10 years in operation in 2017, and the start of 2018 marks a new era for the Trust as it focuses on tackling the burgeoning waiting list of 500 families needing housing assistance in the Queenstown Lakes District.

Since forming in 2007, the Trust has assisted 160 households into affordable, secure tenure housing throughout the district – 124 of these have been through the Shared Ownership programme, 27 into Affordable Rentals and nine into the Rent Saver programme.

But a record 500 eligible households currently needing housing assistance has prompted the Trust to expand its operations and set the formidable goal of 1000 homes over the next 10 years.

“Clearly QLCHT is going to have a far greater role in the provision of housing than what it has previously held, and we’ll need to scale up operations accordingly,” Trust Chairman Martin Hawes says. “The Trust is in excellent shape and to achieve our future goal, we’ll need to ensure we have first-rate governance and management.”

QLCHT Executive Officer Julie Scott, who has been with the Trust since its inception, adds: “I’m really excited about helping another 1000 households over the next 10 years. It’s big, hairy, audacious goal, but having spent the past decade building capacity, we’re now well-positioned to execute a significant growth cycle for the Trust.

“With our new Secure Home programme set to launch early this year, significant inclusionary zoning contributions due from land developers, and the backing of our local council, we’re well-placed to achieve this goal,” she says.

1000 by 2028: How?

10% inclusionary zoning contributions in all future Special Housing Areas.
Greater support from the Government.
New Secure Home programme: The Trust’s new ownership model where the land is separated from the improvements, which enables the household to take out an affordable mortgage for the property. This programme was one of the actions to come out of the Mayor’s Housing Affordability Taskforce.
More affordable rental programmes.
Partnering with other not-for-profit and private organisations.
As a not-for-profit, community-owned organisation, QLCHT has six Trustees. These Board members also act as directors for the Trust’s wholly-owned subsidiaries, which include asset-holding, development construction and mortgage lending entities.

ENDS

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