Affordable housing trust
Council has agreed to establish an Affordable Housing Trust. This trust will partner with Council, iwi partners and other organisations to deliver social and affordable housing in Kāpiti.
This project is part of our work looking at how we can help more people access affordable housing in our district, one of the key actions from our Housing Strategy 2022.
We're now seeking applications for trustee positions, and nominations close Wednesday 29 May.
- Download an information pack [PDF 1.84 MB]
Overview
The Kāpiti Coast is facing significant and growing housing access and affordability issues, and we need to address these urgently. Housing is a complex issue, and it’s not solely the responsibility of one organisation or sector. At Council, we know we don’t hold all the solutions to the housing crisis, but we want to play our part and help others do the same.
Council’s stepping up and taking a bigger role in housing, as we agreed with our community through consultation on the Long-term Plan 2021–41 and the 2022 housing strategy. One of our key actions from the Kāpiti Coast District Council housing strategy was to look at how we can help more people access affordable housing in our district.
Councillors are looking to establish an independent affordable housing entity that can work with our iwi partners and other organisations to deliver affordable housing to those in need, and have indicated they’d support the entity taking the form of an independent trust.
Proposed trust
Council staff developed a draft trust deed and relationship framework agreement which were approved in principle by Council on 29 February 2024.
These are modelled on affordable housing entities established by councils in Queenstown, Wellington and Christchurch.
- The Trust Deed is the legal document that creates and governs a trust.
- The Relationship Framework Agreement describes how Council and the trust will work together
Next steps
We're now seeking applications for trustee positions, and nominations close Wednesday 29 May.
Council is partnering with Sheffield Search for the trustee appointment process. For any questions, contact:
- Katy Anquetil, Executive Director, Sheffield Search – 027 512 8193
- Nick Buck, Associate Director, Sheffield Search – 027 474 5366.
The affordable housing trust is now emerging as a possible option for also managing our older persons’ housing portfolio. We may explore this option further, depending on the outcome of consultation on the Long-term Plan 2024–34, which asks about options for improving our older persons’ housing portfolio.
Timeline
Date |
Activity |
April 2020 |
Council starts work to set up a housing programme |
2021 |
Long-term Plan 2021–41 consultation shows community support for Council to take a bigger role in housing |
May 2022 |
Council:
|
7 June 2022 |
Consultation on affordable housing entity opened |
8 July 2022 |
Consultation on affordable housing entity closed |
2022/23 |
Work on affordable housing entity options |
20 February 2024 |
Council briefing on Affordable Housing Trust (including opportunities for older persons housing portfolio) |
29 February 2024 |
Council approved Trust Deed, Relationship Framework Agreement, and Trust name. |
9 May 2024 |
Nominations close for trustee appointments |
June/July (TBC) |
|
Jan 2025 (TBC) |
Trust operating |
What we’ve done
We’ve continued to progress the establishment of an affordable housing trust (sometimes referred to as a community land trust).
Council passed a resolution in May 2022 that its preferred option was to establish an independent housing entity, and that it wanted to consult with the community on this. Consultation ended in March 2023, and confirmed high levels of community support for establishing an independent trust; these results were shared with Council in mid to late 2023.
Council hosted a workshop with the community housing sector, including iwi providers, in September 2023. The sector indicated its support for Council to establish the trust.
Council is now working to establish the independent affordable housing trust.
- Housing strategy [PDF 4.8 MB]
- Not Just a House, a Life – Report 2022 [PDF 22.05 MB]
- Housing Demand and Need in Kāpiti Coast District – Research Report [PDF 4.91 MB]
- Housing Strategy: Affordable Housing Entity – presentation [PDF 672 KB]