Habitat in New Zealand

Too many Kiwi families are living in substandard conditions, where overcrowding, dampness and lack of insulation affect all aspects of health and wellbeing. Our offices across New Zealand run a range of programmes to ensure families can access the safety and security of a decent home, ranging from Progressive Home Ownership, Home Repairs, Social Rentals, the Curtain Bank, and more.

Progressive Home Ownership

Habitat has been helping New Zealanders with a hand up, not a hand-out in to home ownership for more than 25 years. Progressive Home Ownership is a rent-to-buy system, with a strong emphasis on partnership between Habitat and the future homeowners. This is for low to mid-income whanau who otherwise wouldn’t be able to achieve home ownership without some support. Whanau are selected because of their clear and obvious housing need, a strong demonstration of a willingness to partner with Habitat, and their potential to successfully make a shift to home ownership.

Find your nearest Habitat office for more information

Home Repair Programme

Our Home Repair Programme is an affordable, no-interest solution for modest income homeowners struggling to afford critical maintenance and repair work to their homes. This includes services to address the challenges associated with keeping a home warm, dry, healthy and safe, such as issues related to weather tightness, insulation, heating and cooling, safety and accessibility. Our Habitat tradespeople and trusted contractors assess and carry out the work, and homeowners pay us back at no interest, over a period of up to 5 years. Affordable repayment options are provided based on a household’s income.

Find out your Habitat office for more programme information

The Curtain Bank

Many families, particularly those living in rental properties, cannot afford to buy good quality curtains. The Habitat curtain bank exists to support these families. Our Curtain Bank offers low-income whānau free double-lined, full-length curtains for their homes. If you have a community services card or a child that has been hospitalised with respiratory illness, Habitat may be able to help. Please note that our Curtain Bank is currently only operational in Auckland.

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Aotearoa Housing Survey

AMI Insurance and Habitat for Humanity NZ are on a mission to help improve the lives of 75,000 Kiwis living in housing need; this survey is the first step to help understand the scale of the issue.

The survey was commissioned as part of the three-year partnership between AMI and Habitat. It has provided the two organisations with critical information to help understand the scale of the issues New Zealanders are facing so that they can strengthen their response and help New Zealanders enjoy better living conditions, particularly in the colder months.

READ THE SURVEY

Shop at the ReStore

Habitat operate a network of non-profit retail ReStores around New Zealand. We accept and resell quality new, and gently pre-loved, goods. Our range includes furniture, appliances, clothing, books, building materials, and more.

By shopping, donating or volunteering at your local ReStore, you are supporting us on our mission with all proceeds going directly toward our local housing programmes.

 

Social Rental Properties

As a Community Housing Provider, Habitat works alongside the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to deliver affordable rental options to people who are on the housing waitlist or are experiencing housing deprivation. 

We help to provide a decent place to live for families and individuals in regions of the North Island, and Nelson. In some regions of the North Island, we also provide a property management service for private landlords who are interested in a sustainable rental income, while achieving a social outcome and helping to support Habitat for Humanity.