Making Homeownership a Reality in Whangārei Development Update

Twenty-four newly built homes will soon be ready for families to move in at Habitat for Humanity’s latest development in Whangārei. These homes will provide a fresh start for couples and whānau, offering affordable, stable housing as they begin their journey toward homeownership.

These high-quality homes are part of our Progressive Homeownership and Affordable Rental Programmes, which aim to create more opportunities for people in Whangārei to live in healthy, secure, and long-term housing.

With a rapidly growing population and a limited supply of housing, Whangārei faces significant challenges. The number of new homes being built falls short of demand, leaving many families to struggle with unaffordable and inadequate rental properties.

According to Infometrics’ rent-to-income data, Northland has some of the most unaffordable rent rates in the country. Tenants in the region are spending an average of 25.4% of their income on rent—well above the national average of 22% and even more expensive than Auckland, where the average is 20.1%. This makes it incredibly difficult for working families to save for homeownership.

Habitat’s Progressive Home Ownership Programme offers a rent to buy service for Northlanders, a transformative solution to the region’s housing crisis The programme provides a unique pathway to homeownership by allowing individuals to rent a home at an affordable rate, with weekly rent contributing to the home deposit. After five to ten years of partnering with Habitat, homeownership is transferred to the family at its original sales price, making owning a home that much more accessible. This groundbreaking initiative is one of the most significant advancements in housing access and affordability in the region.

Applications are still open for homes on Keyte Street.