$1.85m in funding for social housing

The first phase of Nelson’s housing reserve is under way after the city council announced $1.85 million for 19 new homes.

The council granted Nelson Tasman Housing Trust (NTHT) $850,000 to develop five affordable rental properties in Muritai St in Tāhunanui, and Habitat for Humanity was awarded $1m to go towards 14 dwellings at 623 Main Rd, Stoke.

Two of the Habitat for Humanity properties will be affordable rentals, with the remaining 12 sold via a rent-to-buy programme.

Nelson mayor Rachel Reese said the funding was ‘‘about answering the call from the community for affordable housing as quickly as possible’’.

Chair of the urban development subcommittee deputy mayor Judene Edgar said the projects supported by the reserve responded to a housing need that other agencies were not meeting.

‘‘Spiralling rental costs and increases in the cost of living mean you can have a job – a stable income – and still have to put up with poor-quality, cold housing that does nothing for your family’s health and nothing for your bank balance,’’ she said.

‘‘It is sometimes easy to forget that housing is a fundamental right, and these projects tip the scales to ensure a family on a limited income can afford a decent, healthy home.’’

Edgar said every dollar invested by the council in NTHT and Habitat for Humanity went further than the council could achieve alone thanks to the cofunding social housing organisations were able to secure.

NTHT director Carrie Mozena said the funding the trust received from the council had been matched by a philanthropic donor, which together enabled the trust to begin work on its latest project of building one four-bedroom and four two-bedroom affordable rentals in Tāhunanui.

Both Mozena and Nelson Habitat for Humanity general manager Nick Clarke have previously encouraged the council to speed up the impact of the $12m reserve fund created from the sale of council housing by releasing part of it in grants.

Clarke said the funding was a ‘‘gamechanger’’ and should be seen as a catalyst to support more people with housing needs. ‘‘It is going to allow us to move much faster to get families into a situation where they can start enjoying home ownership and the associated security many of us take for granted,’’ he said.

The council will have another round of funding from the reserve later in the year.