August 2013 - Affordable housing book launch

A book about affordable housing in New Zealand, "Homes people can afford", has been published by Otago University and was launched at the National Library on 20 August.

Earlier this year the Trust was invited by Prof Philippa Howden-Chapman to contribute to the book and the resulting chapter "More than a landlord: realising the potential of the community housing sector" was written by Trustee Clare Aspinall, Director Alison Cadman and supporter Louise Carrington.

The book focuses on the concept of partnership to increase investment in affordable housing and is based on presentations and debate from a one-day workshop held in the University of Otago, Wellington in June 2012 - Partnerships for Social and Affordable Housing.

The book's Introduction states "The Wellington Housing Trust is one of the first community housing organisations in New Zealand. Interestingly, as one of the oldest organisations they have become victims of their success - unable to qualify for the current social housing fund because of levels of indebtedness from a previous government lending model." The book was a fantastic opportunity for the Trust to outline the added-value of community housing and the challenges groups like ours face.