Habitat for Humanity helps with home ownership in Tūrangi

Erin Wells-Lakeland, Ruben Tumai and their children are on a journey towards home ownership with Habitat for Humanity.

A deserving local whānau will soon be helped into home ownership by Habitat for Humanity, with a shared equity opportunity available in Tūrangi thanks to an anonymous donor.

Habitat for Humanity Central Region chief executive Nic Greene says the community housing provider was recently approached by a benefactor who shared the charity's vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live and wanted to witness a living legacy.

"Tuūrangi was identified as a community where a humble investment could make a significant difference for a whānau, with housing as the catalyst," he says.

Nic says there is no catch to the one-off opportunity, and that the successful whānau will have the potential to get some lending, possibly using KiwiSaver or other savings as a deposit.

"Or maybe they have the income to sustain mortgage repayments, but don't have enough of a deposit yet," he says.

"Habitat will contribute up to $100,000 towards the purchase cost of a house - and the family will raise the rest. Shared equity means that Habitat will own part of the home, based on the portion that the $100,000 represents.

"There's an agreement that makes sure you'll work towards buying out Habitat's share in five to 10 years, and we'll work alongside them to help make sure they succeed."

Habitat has been helping whānau with home ownership in New Zealand for more than 25 years.

"We know the impact of this is beyond bricks and mortar. The security of a suitable and affordable home can have impact on health and wellbeing, education, employment and benefit that extends well beyond the first generation."

Local whānau who fit the criteria were invited to complete an expression of interest, via www.habitat.org.nz/central or to get in touch with Habitat via central@habitat.org.nz.