Trust makes right moves for affordable housing
Dr Bev James, left, with other Marlborough Sustainable Housing Trust members, Mayor Nadine and neighbours including Mayfield Kindergarten pupils gathered to mark the completion of the new homes which border the kindy. Photo: Supplied.
Blenheim is poised to gain more affordable rental homes as the government gives the green light to funding.
Marlborough Sustainable Housing Trust have revealed a five-unit development will go up on High Street after securing $2.18 million in funds.
The move comes as Trust members take possession of three 4-bedroom homes in Hutcheson Street, which were officially opened by Mayor Nadine Taylor last week.
Nadine says anyone would be proud to live there.
“I want to acknowledge the determined work done by our Sustainable Housing Trust over many years.
“We are short of all housing stock in Marlborough, but this is most acutely felt in the need for larger homes that families on lower incomes are able to afford.”
A $1.8m community loan from the Rātā Foundation provided cornerstone funding for the Hutcheson St project which will be repaid from the rents and subsidies provided by Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga, Ministry for Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The Hutcheson St homes will be managed by the Christchurch Methodist Mission which selects tenants from families in transitional housing.
Trust Chair Dr Bev James says the Trust could not have contemplated either project without the support of Rātā Foundation and the Government through HUD.
“Both have provided the bricks and mortar funding to our Trust. Both we and Marlborough owe them a big thank you – and I’m sure those families who come to live in these warm, affordable and sustainable homes will be applauding too.
“We are thrilled to be among those communities named as successful in the second round of the Affordable Housing Fund.
“We feel that we are making a real difference in a housing market that’s especially hard on low-income families.
The new funding will be almost matched by loans from Rātā Foundation to buy the five new units.
Construction is almost set to start.
“We’ve got some paperwork to finalise things but with the Government’s announcement, we have secure funding to purchase the homes from the developer when they are built,” Bev explains.
Rents for the new double-storey units are expected to be less than 80 per cent of the median market rent for the type of home.
The homes are geared towards low to moderate income working households who would struggle to pay market rents in Blenheim.
They are due for completion by the middle of next year.