PO Box 8024
Invercargill
+64 3 217 2740

Bob Simpson, architect of Invercargill, brought the concept of Habitat for Humanity to Invercargill in 1995. An enthusiastic group developed the concept, dedicating the first house in Nvember 1996, in the presence of international founder Millard Fuller.

Since then 12 houses have been built or renovated for families in Invercargill and 14 families have been given a hand-up in the city. The two extra families were upskilled in both building and budgeting, obtained well paying jobs and they then moved aside for other families.

Of those 12 families two have fully paid off their homes and two have gained commercial loans so Habitat has been repaid.

The building process has been accelerated by the presence over time of eight visiting Global Village teams.

Obtaining land is always an issue: historically the affiliate has been assisted with this by the Invercargill Licensing Trust,  the Invercargill City Council and on two occasions by the donations of supporters.

We have just recently managed to resolve some legal issues relating to a section of land so will shortly begin to build our 13th house.

Our fundraising base is the Restore, which was the first Restore to be developed in New Zealand.The building began life as a Woolworths Supermarket so it has plenty of floor space and carparking.
Payment for maintenance and up-grading to the building has been assisted by the Aluminium Smelter and the Invercargill Licensing Trust, while administration funding has been supplemented by the Community Trust of Southland.