Tammy

Housing availability in New Zealand is currently at it’s lowest level in 65 years. Like so many Kiwi families, Tammy Ngawhika Hutchins saw home ownership as a pipe dream. After hearing a friends story about their new home with Habitat, Tammy attended an information evening and decided to apply for Habitat’s Progressive Home Ownership Programme.

“I received the call to say that I qualified for a house and I actually dropped to my knees.”

With the help of family, friends and over 100 volunteers, Tammy’s family home was built in Rotorua in November 2012 as part of a six day blitz build. The home was dedicated to Tammy and her family in 2013.

“A home to me is about identity, and a place to make memories. When I was young and worrying about a pair of shoes, and worrying about meals at the table – now the kids don’t need to worry about things like that. I have something to leave for my children. I couldn’t say that before. This is home and no one is ever going to buy this, and the children know it’s never going to be sold because they all have their hands to this and they’ve built it.”

    What is Progressive Home Ownership and how does it work? Habitat’s Progressive Home Ownership is a partnership-based programme that assists families moving towards independent home ownership. Families occupy a new home built by a KiwiBuy provider, and pay the equivalent of fair market rent determined by their total gross household income. This programme allows households to enter into an affordable rental programme with secure tenure for at least five years, until they can afford the price of their mortgage. With increased focus on social housing, better rental housing and increased pathways to home ownership, like Habitat’s Progressive Home Ownership scheme, more Kiwi families like Tammy’s will be able to own their own homes. Learn more here. 

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