120 | Helping to bring home ownership within reach The 10-home William Street development in central Richmond is a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom townhouses, Habitat for Humanity Nelson T T Rosa Watson “Stable home ownership is strongly linked to better outcomes for children and families, including education, health and overall wellbeing.” COMMUNITY Habitat for Humanity Nelson is continuing its mission to provide affordable housing and a pathway to home ownership in the region with its latest rent-to-buy development due for completion this year. The William Street development – a 10home complex currently under construction in central Richmond – is a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom townhouses, each with a single car port and access to a small communal pocket playground. Habitat Nelson works with DesignBase architects, who they have partnered with on previous projects, with Tasman Homes the main building contractors. Gary and Andy of Tasman Homes are long-time supporters of Habitat Nelson’s work, Habitat for Humanity Nelson chief executive officer Katrina Bach says. “A big part of our approach is choosing designs and materials that create good-quality homes, not just for today, but well into the future, and that reflect Habitat’s mission of providing decent, affordable housing. “As one of Nelson’s established community housing providers we have a strong reputation for delivering projects. We want to make sure we are building the right homes, in the right places, in a way that will serve families well for the long term and create great places to live.” Funding for the project came through central government support and the Rata Foundation. The William Street development follows the completion of four homes in Tipahi Street, South Nelson – another project that is part of the charity’s progressive homeownership programme. The rent-to-buy initiative is designed to help families to access homeownership through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Under the programme, rent is set as a percentage of household income, and over time a portion of that rent builds toward a deposit. The goal by the end of the programme is for that deposit, minus expenses, to reach around 20% of the purchase price, which is set at the beginning. Generally, households need to be earning at least around the median income to build a deposit on a home, Katrina says. “What we see in Nelson are many working families who earn enough to support themselves and potentially service a mortgage, remain locked out of the housing market, largely because saving a deposit while paying high rents is extremely difficult. “Totally Dependable” Electrical Services • Domes�c, commercial and industrial wiring • Design build projects • Air condi�oning, home ven�la�on, security and CCTV • Floor hea�ng • Oven repair specialists • Electrical repairs (24/7 callout service) • EV Chargers Proud to support Habitat for Humanity 20 Elms St, Wakatu Industrial Estate, Nelson Ph 543 9222 www.laserelectrical.co.nz S " Ĝʼn OY("( Ĝʼn A< ʼnO(#'YĜ "ºÈʼnĉćʼnèyÈÌĝʼn<uʼnâ¡ “Our programme helps bridge that gap by allowing part of the rent to accumulate toward a deposit. “Our focus is on working families, who are ready to move toward ownership. The reason we focus there is that stable home ownership is strongly linked to better outcomes for children and families, including education, health and overall wellbeing. Over time, that contributes to stronger communities. “When families have a safe and secure place to call home, everything changes, from health and education outcomes to long-term financial wellbeing.” Katrina says the need for housing in Nelson, like much of New Zealand, is significant. “Tasman was recently named one of the least-affordable places to live when household income is compared with the cost of housing. The William Street development will operate under our rent-to-buy programme, where we partner with families on a pathway into home ownership over four to five years.”
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