Community Housing Aotearoa

Opening doorways to Community Housing

Community Housing Aotearoa
Nga Wharerau o Aotearoa

Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) is the representive body that binds New Zealand's community housing sector together. It advocates on the sector’s behalf to Government and others. It builds the reputation of the sector by showcasing its achievements and reinforcing its business and community models. It builds sector capability by:

building membership networks and relationships
sharing tools and resources for organisational development
raising awareness of relevant research and best practice
facilitation of the Community Housing Quality Assurance and Accreditation Programme
organising events and sharing community housing news

Please explore the site using the doors above, and view our latest news in the blog posts below.

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"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate
for the health and well being of himself and his family,
including food, clothing, housing and medical care and
necessary social services and the right to security in the
event of unemployment, sickness, disability,
widowhood, old age or other lack of livlihood in
circumstances beyond his control."

Article 25(1), Universal Declaration of Human Rights

May 2013 Newsletter

MAY NEWSLETTER

Community Housing Aotearoa Seminars

The CHA members and others who attended a recent CHA Seminar in Tauranga gave positive feedback and are interested in gaining further information around the agenda topics.

The other seminars still to be held are:

21st May WELLINGTON – St Johns in the City [10 – 2pm]

31st May CHRISTCHURCH – [Combined Te Matapihi/CHA at Rehua Marae][10 – 3pm]

April 2013 Newsletter

1. CHA Seminars

CHA is holding several Seminars around the country in the next few months. Please put the following dates into your diaries. Further information regarding venues and programmes will be sent. All of the Seminars are from 10am – 3pm. The programme for the Tauranga Seminar has been sent to providers in the region.

§ 23rd April – Tauranga - Tauranga RSA, 1237 Camerson Road, Tauranga

§ 8th May – Wellington at St Johns in the City, Cnr Dixon and Willis Streets, Wellington

§ 16th May – Dunedin

Community

CHA members will want to know that sadly, our friend Libby Clements died on 31st March.

Development Contributions Review - Submissions

SUBMISSION ON THE DEVELOPMENT CONTRIBUTIONS REVIEW

To: Department of Internal Affairs

Name of submitter: Community Housing Aotearoa

Introduction

Development Contributions Review - Submissions

Submitter Details:

Name: Dr. Bev James

Organisation: Marlborough Sustainable Housing Trust

Address: P O Box 5082, Springlands, Blenheim 7201
Contact email: bevjames@xtra.co.nz

Latest Housing Policy News

Over the last couple of weeks we have heard a lot from our three major politicial parties regarding their housing policies, and it can be difficult to understand quite what is being said.

We have broken it down to what we understand to be three key points on offer from each party:

AGM Update

COMMUNITY HOUSING AOTEAROA - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Friday 2 November 2012

St Johns in the City (Cnr Willis and Dixon Streets, Wellington)

AGENDA

10.00am – 1.00pm                          Facilitated Discussion
1.00pm – 1.30pm                            Lunch
1.30pm – 2.15pm                            AGM
2.15pm – 4.00pm                            Michael Newey

10.00am – 1.00 p.m.

Notice of Annual General Meeting

A date has been set for this year's CHA AGM and by now many of you should have received a flyer in the post about the event.

Friday 2nd November, 1.30 pm
Mackenzie Room, St Johns in the City, Cnr Willis and Dixon Streets, Wellington.

Further information about this event will be released in the coming weeks, keep an eye out!

Social Housing Fund Allocation Plan 2012-2015

Minister of Housing, Hon Phil Heatley, has released the Allocation Plan for the three-year 2012/13 – 2014/15 $104.1 million Social Housing Fund.

Some of the recommendations fom the plan include:

pre-qualification as the first phase of the application process as part of a simplified approach;
a move away from the GETS procurement process;
more than one funding round in each year, with some provision to consider ad-hoc opportunities when necessary;

Introducing Beacon

As mentioned in the 17 August e-bulletin, coming up in September are three symposia being put on by Beacon Pathway Incorporated, an organisation which is focused on improving New Zealand’s homes and neighbourhoods.

CORT Accreditation Success

An exciting milestone has been met for CHA and the community housing sector as CORT (Community of Refuge Trust) has been granted accreditation through Te Wana's Quality Assurance and Accreditation Programme. We have spoken to CORT's CEO Peter Jeffries to find out all about what the process was like for them.

MEDIA RELEASE: The Community Housing train leaves the station – but not enough carriages

New Zealand’s representative organisation for the not-for-profit housing sector, Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA), is encouraged by yesterday’s announcement of the allocation of the Government’s $37.35 million social housing fund, but also notes the recent conclusion of the Productivity Commission that this is “well short of what is needed”.

Doorways April 2012 – Focus on Housing Affordability

This latest issue of Doorways, a publication by Community Housing Aotearoa, includes a CHA perspective on the recent Housing Affordability report from the Productivity Commission.

AHI NZ Housing Awards Presentations this week

The Australasian Housing Institue invites you to the New Zealand Excellence in Housing Awards ceremony, which is being held on Thursday 3rd of May 2012 in Wellington. Housing professionals from around New Zealand will gather to celebrate the achievements of their colleagues and congratulate the worthy winners. Hon Phil Heatley Minister for Housing has been invited to present the awards at the reception.

Productivity Commission Housing Affordability Report

The Productivity Commission Housing Affordability report has just been released and nearly 20% of the 265 page report is devoted to social, community and Maori housing.

Hon Tariana Turia's speech highlights- National Maori Housing Conference

Last week’s Maori Housing Conference held at Waitangi was definitely one to remember.

Neighbours Day This Weekend!

Thousands of Kiwis across New Zealand will join in the country’s biggest neighbourhood celebration on 24-25 March. Neighbours Day is all about getting to know your neighbours and creating better communities, no matter where you live.

Home Innovation Village Opening – Free PrefabNZ Event

PrefabNZ are welcoming the public to the official Opening Weekend of the Home Innovation Village – or Hive. This is a FREE event, taking place at Canterbury Agricultural Park 24-25 March, 12-4pm.

National Maori Housing Conference Programme Released

The Programme for the National Maori Housing Conference is now available, and can be accessed here.

This important event is to be held at Copthorne Paihia, Bay of Islands, on 26-28 March 2012. It is being organised by the Te Matapihi - He Tirohanga Mo Te Iwi Trust which formed as a result of post-conference activity following the inaugural National Maori Housing Conference two years ago.

Chasm between Social Housing Fund and sector capacity becomes apparent

The recent social housing fund, which is in the process of being allocated by the Social Housing Unit (SHU), has been oversubscribed by four and a half times over, frustrating non-government housing organisations says Community Housing Aotearoa, New Zealand’s umbrella group for the community housing sector.

Productivity Commission commended for delivering some home truths on housing affordability

New Zealand’s sole peak body for the not-for-profit housing sector, Community Housing Aotearoa, has praised the newly released Productivity Commission report on Housing Affordability for its timely reminder that New Zealand is ill equipped to deliver the volume or quality of housing needed for future generations.

Christmas message sent to Housing Ministers

Returning Minister of Housing Phil Heatley and new Associate Minister of Housing Tariana Turia have been sent a special Christmas ‘wish list’ from supporters of Community Housing Aotearoa.

“Community Housing Aotearoa has been collecting a number of messages from our members and wider network of supporters to pass on to Ministers in a Christmas letter – with most of those messages focused on housing affordability,” says Community Housing Aotearoa’s Executive Officer David McCartney.

Major omission in NZ Herald Election Guide

The Election Guide published by the New Zealand Herald this week has made a major omission by excluding housing from its selection of the 11 “biggest issues”, says Community Housing Aotearoa, New Zealand’s only peak body for the not-for-profit housing sector.

Cloud cast over what constitutes a charitable environment for third sector housing providers

A High Court judgement made on Friday 24 June has cast a cloud over the Government’s intention for third sector housing providers to grow the pool of affordable housing in New Zealand.

The reserved judgement by Justice A. D. MacKenzie dismissed an appeal by the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) filed nine months ago for retention of its registration with the Charities Commission as a charitable entity, and may yet be subject to further appeal.