A housing programme that has helped dozens of Waipā families into their first homes is nearing full capacity, with just one final home available under the programme.

Bridge Housing Charitable Trust says strong demand for its leasehold affordable housing programme means the initiative is now nearly fully subscribed with 34 families in homes across the district.

The programme enables eligible first-home buyers to purchase a modern two-bedroom home for just over $300,000 — significantly below typical market prices — by separating the cost of the home from the land through a long-term leasehold structure.

Bridge Housing General Manager Jen Palmer says the model has been a “game changer” for families who thought home ownership was out of reach.

“Many of the families in this programme never imagined they could own a home in today’s market,” Palmer says.

“By removing the upfront land cost, we’ve been able to create a pathway where hardworking local families can secure a stable home and start building equity for the future.”

The programme has now assisted 34 families in Waipā. It has also been successfully delivered in Queenstown, where housing affordability challenges are among the most severe in the country.

“We’ve seen first-hand how transformational this can be,” Palmer says.

“It’s not just about housing. It’s about stability for children, connection to community, and the confidence that comes from having a place to call your own.”

The initiative was supported through the previous Government’s Progressive Home Ownership (PHO) programme, which provided funding to not-for-profit housing developers to develop affordable pathways into ownership.

However, Palmer says the funding programme has not been renewed, meaning opportunities like this are limited.

Palmer says the strong response demonstrates the scale of demand for alternative pathways into home ownership.

“There are many families doing everything right — working hard, saving where they can — but the traditional housing market simply isn’t accessible to them,” she says.

“This programme shows that with the right support and structure, home ownership can still be within reach.”

Bridge Housing Charitable Trust is a Cambridge-based charitable trust focused on creating innovative pathways to home ownership.

The Trust is currently accepting applications for the final home on the programme.

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