Name: Habitat for Humanity New Zealand
Price range: $

A word from our chairman - FY24

Mr Uluomatootua Saulaulu Aiono ONZM

CHAIRMAN’S LETTER FYE 30 JUNE 2024
Mr Uluomatootua Saulaulu Aiono ONZM

We finished well. But we are doing more. Better!

Led by our Habitat Northern Region Ltd (HFHNR) CEO Mr Conrad LaPointe and Board we finished the year with a stronger balance sheet driven by increased revenues & surplus. We grew our pipeline to 57 houses needing funding and consents plus 23 in final construction stages for August 2024 occupation in Whangarei. For these 23, we extend huge thanks to GJ Gardner and the subcontractors. And thank you too for the ongoing expertise and hard work by our HFHNR Development Manager Mr James Davies, Housing Manager Ms Carina Dickson, Operations Manager Ms Leana Hunt, Finance Manager Ms Lorene Neilson and our organisation wide coordinator CEO Executive Assistant Ms Heather Leather.

Our HFHNR revenues were $13.7m ($11.0m FYE 30Jun23); operating surplus $2.6m ($1.3m); net assets rose to $33.2m ($30.6m) including fixed assets $43m ($34m) and cash $5.8m ($6.2m). Total headcount was 67 FTE excluding volunteers. ReStore retail sales grew $0.5m to $3.6M. We added a store with more to open depending on leases, donations, community support and volunteers.

In our 23 dwellings Whangarei new housing community project we failed to honour the Te Parawhau iwi. HFHNR Board Member Sir Christopher Farrelly led us as we sought forgiveness and reconciliation with Te Parawhau through the Houhourongo process. We are honoured by Sir Christopher’s leadership. And we are honoured by the 4 April 2024 Houhourongo led by Matua Pari Walker on Matakohe Island. This led to the Te Parawhau blessing of the dwellings at 5 AM on Friday 16 August 2024 on the new road, Warren Place, created by Whangarei City Council in honour of HFHNR’s Founding CEO Mr Warren Jack.

Congratulations to Mr Warren Jack and Mrs Heather Jack.

Also in April we farewelled Board Member Mr Mohammed (Mo) Khan after six years. Thank you very much Mo. Our ReStore shops sales grew to $3.6m with your encouragement, guidance and commercial expertise. Your governance was a critical enabler of our northwards shift in new housing & investment from, expensive, Auckland to Whangarei and Kerikeri.

The newly elected Coalition Government’s changes to housing policy and priorities in the Ministry of Housing & Urban Development stopped all community housing providers, including HFHNR, in their tracks. This sector is now examining its participation and standing in NZ housing provision especially after the May 2024 release of Sir Bill English’s Independent Review of Kainga Ora Homes & Communities. The Government has announced Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms to stop costly NIMBY objections to thoughtful, socially desirable, land use change. For decades, these objections have been a primary cause of unaffordable housing and homelessness.

Right now, times are tough for many, many, Kiwis. For the seven quarters from 1 October 2022 to 30 June 2024 gross domestic product per capita fell 4.6%. This is a cut of $300 per person per month. Even worse, in the same period, gross national disposable income per capita fell 6.2 %. This is $400 per person. Compared to 2022 a family of two parents and two children is $1600 per worse off today. Per month! And the forecast is even worse for the September 2024 quarter.

For the quarter ending (FQE) 30 June 2023 inflation was 7.2%. This dropped to 3.3% FQE 30 June 2024. But housing affordability did not improve. Why? Because disposable income is committed to monthly payments of high personal and household debt.

As a country New Zealand is suffering the same problem. Damaging debt levels. Damaging productivity levels. So the Coalition Government has cut expenditures, set new budget priorities, established a 2027 fiscal surplus target, and broadcast the simple message: New Zealand must fix its low productivity and live within its means.

Accordingly we have reviewed our: strategic plan; building & construction; capital works in progress; balance sheet forecasts & buffers; relationships with funders and Government ministries; capital raising strategy; and ReStore operations.

Started in 1994 by our Founding Chairman Mr Ken Stevenson, retired, who was inspired to recruit others and take action after hearing a speech by the Manukau Rotary Club’s outgoing Chairman Major Anthony Stone (Salvation Army), we, in HFHNR, today, are thirty years distant and even more inspired to find the ways and build the paths to the Habitat dream for every person to have a safe, decent, place to live.

Thank you to my fellow Board Members; Deputy Chairman Mr Michael McLean; Director Tu’u’u Maeta’anoa Mr Luamanu (Lou) Maea; Director Sir Christopher Farrelly KNZM; Director Dr Pauline Kingi CNZM; Director Mr Cori Barkle; Policy Committee Chair Dr Lorraine Skelton; Finance Audit Risk Chairman Mr Wayne Williams.

A word from our CEO - FY24

Conrad LaPointe

CEO’S LETTER FYE 30 JUNE 2024
Mr Conrad LaPointe

Our organisation ends the year in a strong position but with a number of challenges. While some of these challenges are what Habitat must wrestle with both politically and operationally, they are secondary to the real challenges that those we seek to serve wrestle with every day.

Despite significant investment by the Labour government into affordable housing, the number of people on the housing register continues to increase, exacerbated by a continued under supply of housing of all tenure types, cost of living increases, increasing unemployment and an economy struggling to reinvigorate itself. As a consequence, hundreds of thousands of people in New Zealand remain unable to afford a decent, secure and healthy place to live. Through our mission and vision Habitat is compelled to bring a supporting voice to those most affected, and continually develop and better deliver our programmes to address the monumental need we see before us.

Over the past year we have made good use of available government capital and service contracts to significantly increase our housing supply. We are however acutely aware that funding for our work has never been more under pressure, with fiscal realities and a change of government focus likely to make capital funding for affordable housing scarce for the foreseeable future. Further, the overall need across New Zealand society means there is much more competition for finite philanthropic and grant funding.

These realities require Habitat to better utilise our existing resources to further generate our own income. Our existing social enterprises of ReStore and private Home Repair have performed well this year, and we will seek to further invest in these, and grow other areas of ‘for purpose’ services.

This year we have made substantial investments in our own people and systems, that have allowed us to better track and evaluate the impact that our work is making. Given that underlying levels of housing deprivation and affordability are not declining, understanding if our programmes are truly making a difference is paramount. To best ensure we are placed to deliver impact we have continued to be keenly focused on providing the best quality of service. This manifests through ensuring our staff have the best understanding of housing performance and related social impacts, impact assessments and frameworks are in place, and that our programmes are increasingly defined by the people who engage with or rely upon them.

Further, given the complex needs and affects associated with living in substandard housing, we are putting the difference we can make to support each individual family above a simple metric of how many people each year we support. There is a constant tension across the charitable and social sector between making a tangible and meaningful difference, and serving more people impact or more people. We strive to do both.

Through our strong sector voice and increasing housing adequacy services, we continue to address the substantial negative effects of substandard housing. This most negatively impacts at the lower income end of the rental market, where negative health, financial and social impact on Māori and Pasifika in particular are at their most acute. Recognising this need, delivery in this area now accounts for almost one third of our revenue and the vast majority of the people who access our services.

Looking back on a year is sometimes a challenge. As I write this we are already three months into the next financial year, and planning for Christmas. With the necessity to always look forward, plan, consider, innovate and mitigate, we rarely take time to look back. With the sometimes overwhelming housing need and its effects on so many people, it is also challenging to feel we have the right to look back with any real celebration or fanfare.

However, this is not the right way to approach this psychological quandary. The past year has seen countless examples of people’s lives being positively impacted and, in many cases, fundamentally changed, because of the work and dedication of our staff, volunteers, delivery partners and funders. To not celebrate this would be to not celebrate life.

I therefore trust that this report provides a small but moving insight into our work, our people and our partner families. Where the stories that they tell continue to bring meaning, purpose and momentum for what is a mighty challenge; that of building a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Sally’s journey of dedication and perseverance

We provide homes

“My name is Sally, and my family was blessed to go through Habitat’s Progressive Home Ownership Programme. We first heard about Habitat through a church friend. Excited and hopeful, we applied. Talk about excitement when we got Habitat’s call! In 2011 we began building our home.

“Some months later we received tragic news. My husband was diagnosed with cancer. We sat in the car for a good hour and cried. We didn’t know what to do, especially about the house, but my husband was determined to continue the process and make this home our own.

“Between hospital visits and work we continued with our Habitat journey. My husband was adamant he wanted to finish our house, as looking into the future we had no idea what would happen.

“In September 2011 we were overjoyed to move into our new home, celebrating the blessing with my husband, children and extended family. One week later, my husband passed.

“We so appreciated the support of Habitat through this difficult time. They went above and beyond to ensure that our family was supported and could continue on our homeownership journey. Their Financial Literacy workshops and encouragement were invaluable.

“In 2023, we officially became homeowners. I cannot say enough of how proud we are to have completed this journey alongside Habitat. With their guidance we were able to navigate and learn about mortgages, legalities, and financial planning. We couldn’t have done it without their support.”

Building affordable, stable homes for local whānau

We provide homes

Habitat is a social landlord, which sets us apart and guides us to allocate warm, dry, safe and secure homes based on housing need.

Carina Dickson, Habitat Northern Housing Manager has seen the impact of housing vulnerability. “There are real pockets of depravation, many Kiwis wouldn’t realise the real state of housing in Tai Tokerau, seeing how families are living with their kids can be quite heartbreaking,” she says.

“Many families in housing vulnerability are placed in emergency or transitional housing. Through no fault
of their own, whānau have to move constantly, unable
to place down roots and connect with their communities. These are everyday Kiwis who want a safe and stable home for their kids, so they can go to the same school, make friends and live in a house that they can call their own.

“Transitional housing often means weekly checkups, no visitors allowed and strict rules. If families are moved far away from the local school, the burden of transportation to get to the previous school can be a major financial burden. These new Habitat homes are within walking distance to the local primary, intermediate, and secondary schools.

“I am always asked by families; how long can we stay here? When I’m able to say, you can stay as long as you need, it lifts such a weight off people’s shoulders.

“One family was previously in a private rental, but after a death in the family, they could no longer afford to pay rent by themselves. They had nowhere to go and no family locally. Now that single parent and their two children can move out of emergency housing and into their stable, safe home with Habitat.”

“The community in these homes have flourished. Seeing all the kids playing outside on their scooters and bikes. This was exactly the community we were hoping to enable, they all know each other.

“At Habitat we’re proud to be providing stable, healthy dry homes for whānau. When every child has a warm, dry, safe house to live in. My job is done.”

Repairing homes for future generations

We make homes habitable

“My name is Rachel, my whānau and I have lived in this whare for over 30 years. When we bought our house on whenua land in 1992, my children were toddlers. Now, they are adults with children of their own. Our home is now filled with three generations, 17 of us in total, including nine kids. We have the main house, and we have added cabins in the yard. With so many people, we have two kitchens—one inside and one outside. We make do in our home because it is for our family; even though it can get crowded at times.

“For the past few years, we tried to secure private financing for renovations but found being on Māori whenua made it harder. Last year, when my granddaughter had whooping cough and had been ill for ten months, Te Whatu Ora referred us to Habitat. We never thought we’d be that family referred by health services, but we needed help.

“The house required extensive repairs. We had to remove some wood due to rot, install new cladding and gib, and fix gaps around all our windows and doors. We had broken windows and a shower that hadn’t worked for thirty years. The bathroom needed restoration, including a new toilet and walls for privacy. The kitchen needed renovations, such as a new stove, exterior drainage, and exterior electrical outlets to supply power to the cabins. It wasn’t safe using extension wires from the main house.

“Since the repairs have been completed, we’ve noticed big changes. My mokopuna aren’t sick anymore; they’re back at kindy and school, the stress has lifted from all of us. It brings us joy to see our mokopuna thriving again.

“This is a whānau home, and we need it here for the next generation.”

Watch full interview

Rebuilding after Cyclone Gabrielle

We make homes habitable

Carolyn and Frederick’s home in Māngere faced a devastating blow during Cyclone Gabrielle, resulting in extensive flood damage both internally and externally. Carolyn said, “by the time I got home everything was already floating…Whatever I picked up had a memory to it, I couldn’t stop crying, it was really hard.”

As a result, many household items were damaged
beyond repair. Like so many families in the area, they didn’t have house or contents insurance, leaving them unable to afford necessary repairs.

With nowhere else to go the family of five ended up living and sleeping together in Carolyn’s mum’s garage for fourteen months. The small and uninsulated space was unfit for the winter months, causing the kids to get sick multiple times.

After realising they could not do all the work on their own, Carolyn and Fredrick applied to Habitat’s Home Repair Programme and were able to access funding through
Te Puni Kōkiri and the Fisher & Paykel Foundation to ensure their home was habitable again. The repairs needed for the home were extensive, including a new roof, bathroom renovation, cladding and window repairs, external painting as well as additional storage to ensure the family could live safely in their home.

Carolyn expressed her gratitude to have the work completed on her home. “To see the smile on my children’s faces has been amazing. We have a bathroom now and hot water, instead of being on top of each other and overcrowded, everyone is happy now. We are so grateful to Habitat, to the businesses that volunteered, to the people that donated or gave their time. If it wasn’t for them this couldn’t happen.”

Bringing life back into whānau home

We make homes habitable

“My name is Marino. My whānau and I have cherished our home for over thirty years. From the moment I saw this home, I fell in love with it, and I still love it today.

“My husband and I bought the house from his mother when I was twenty-one. Over the years, our home has been a hub for family gatherings and a place of many life lessons. However, when I lost my husband in 2022, everything changed. Without him to keep things together, parts of our beloved home started to fall apart. I found myself shedding tears, struggling to keep our house warm and liveable.

“That’s when we reached out to Habitat for Humanity. A colleague had mentioned their work, and we were hopeful they could assist us. Habitat stepped in and transformed our home with a new bathroom, kitchen, and laundry. They repaired and painted the exterior, installed new windows
to replace the cracked ones, laid new carpet and underlay, and gave our home a fresh paint job inside and out.

“I didn’t realise how tough life was before the renovations. Things are so much easier now that our home is warm, dry and healthy. It’s been a journey to get here. You have to do the inner work first so you can maintain your house, it won’t do itself. I learned how to budget, look at where my money was going, and make the changes I needed to make.

“I also attended Habitat’s workshop, where they discussed how to keep heat in your home and how humidity affects heat. The winter before that was bitterly cold, the house damp and mouldy, and my granddaughter ended up in the hospital because she was having trouble breathing.

“Now, it’s like a weight has been lifted off us. We sit here at night and admire it all. Our home is warm, and our lives have been transformed.”

Watch full interview

The power of solar for off-grid whānau home

We make homes habitable

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Krystal and her family were living and working in the South Island. However, as the pandemic unfolded, both Krystal and her partner lost their jobs, leading to financial struggles while renting.

“We couldn’t afford to live and rent anymore, so we moved back to Northland because we’re from Pataua originally. We didn’t want to be homeless when we have whenua land and could be close to whānau. We started living at my parents’ house, we had two little cabins and lived in those for a year and a half. They didn’t have kitchens, and we cooked outside. It was like constantly camping,” said Krystal.

Their off-grid home relied on a generator for power,
as connecting to the main power grid was too expensive. Despite the challenges, their family expanded to include additional members, accommodating nieces and nephews who lacked stable housing.

“In winter it got tough as we couldn’t heat the house, even with the generator. The kids ended up sick with bronchiolitis. It’s not just the heating and lighting that’s tough living with no power, it’s having to tell your kids that you can only do homework when the power’s on, or we don’t have enough petrol to let you go to school today.”

Their plight caught the attention of Te Manawa Ora, who referred them to Habitat. The home had essential upgrades including insulation, lining the entire cabin with plywood, installation of curtains throughout, exterior stairs, electrical works, and the installation of solar panels, batteries, and an inverter to power their home.

“We can’t tell you how much of a difference having these repairs made and the solar installed. It’s something we have dreamed of, it’s such a relief to know that we can come home and switch on the light. It’s helping us move towards our dream of being self-sufficient on the land.”

“Turning on the light or heater may seem like something small to your average person that lives on the power grid but to those of us who live off-grid, it’s the biggest achievement ever.”

Sharing the love with Habitat volunteers

We mobilise people and resources

Volunteers play an integral part in Habitat for Humanity’s kaupapa and their countless hours of mahi and support directly impact the day-to-day functioning of Habitat.

Every year Volunteer Week is celebrated to recognise volunteers across the country for the time they give to charities and organisations, and the impact they have on local communities. Similar to celebrations like Mothers’ Day or Valentine’s Day, we see Volunteer Week as the perfect opportunity to extravagantly and loudly express the love we feel for our volunteers everyday.

This year, Habitat Northern CEO Conrad and the wider team decided to express this love a little differently, with the Volunteer Love Bus. The bus took to the streets of Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) on a mission to visit every Habitat ReStore across Tāmaki and spread the message to our volunteers and the public that ‘We love and need volunteers’.

We are privileged to walk alongside incredible volunteers from all age ranges, cultures and backgrounds, brought together by the shared goal of supporting Kiwis in housing need.

It is our hope that Habitat continues to not only deliver effectively on our programmes, but to foster a welcoming and loving community for all to be part of our kaupapa. We thank every Habitat volunteer for the love they put into our organisation, and hope they continue to feel fulfilled and driven by Habitat’s mahi which positively impacts the lives of whānau everyday.

See video of the day

Rangatahi aspirations for homeownership

We mobilise people and resources

Habitat has embarked on a new collaborative research project funded by SkyCity Community Trust, to understand the aspirations, challenges and barriers rangatahi (youth) in Whangārei face when thinking about homeownership.

Understanding rangatahi homeownership aspirations informs our partnership with Māori and Pacific service providers, so we can equip, nurture and unlock young people’s access to homeownership. By designing our Affordable Rental and Progressive Homeownership Programmes to be accessible and fit for purpose we can adequately support Māori and Pacific communities.

Forty rangatahi were engaged over two hui (meetings) and associated surveys . Feedback from this showed homeownership was widely desired to pursue increased safety, security and stability. Rangatahi wanted to enable a positive sense of self and connection to a place through homeownership, with shared stories of wanting a home to shelter and nurture whānau. Many rangatahi saw home ownership as a tool to regain intergenerational equity and wellbeing, rather than personal economic security or gain.

Overall positive aspirations of home ownership were tinged with lack of hope, access to information, opportunities and mentoring, burdens of debt, and some actual or perceived cultural barriers, such as a home is for all whānau, not just nuclear family.

Feedback from the rangatahi included: “Home ownership to me means having something that is permanent, not temporary”; “It means security and intergenerational support”; “It means creating a home for myself, family and future generations to come”; “Growing up we didn’t own a whare and moved often. I don’t want that for my tamariki. I want to provide them with a place to call home forever.”

From here, Habitat will continue to leverage the existing grassroots connections and networks among community, health, education and housing sectors across Whangārei, to enhance stewardship and socialisation of homeownership opportunities for rangatahi in the community.

Paying tribute to years of dedicated mahi

We mobilise people and resources

This year, Habitat’s largest Public Housing development in Aotearoa was officially named Warren Place, in honour of Warren Jack’s tireless dedication to providing shelter and support for families in housing need.

Warren Jack, former Director of Habitat for Humanity Northern, has left an indelible mark on the community during his tenure from 2000 to 2015. He continues to support Habitat by providing advice and guidance across the organisation to this day.

Warren was recognised as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours List 2023, for his dedicated and passionate service to his community spanning over 40 years.

Conrad LaPointe, habitat northern CEO, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to commemorate Warren’s invaluable contributions. “We are thrilled to pay tribute to such an extraordinary figure within the Habitat family. Warren’s tireless efforts have touched countless lives, not only in Whangārei and Aotearoa but across the globe.”

Reflecting on the significance of this recognition, Warren Jack shared, “From the inception of Habitat for Humanity Northern, I have been deeply invested in its mission. Over the years, I’ve witnessed remarkable progress, particularly in Tai Tokerau. This development represents a culmination of these efforts—a testament to the transformative power of collective action.”

Community connection through volunteering

We mobilise people and resources

Carole started volunteering with the Habitat ReStore op shop in Whangārei after hearing about it from a friend. At a roadblock in her life and unable to work, she decided she would volunteer her time to the community.

Our ReStore volunteers go above and beyond, providing 30,727 hours of support in this financial year. Carole has been volunteering with Habitat for seven years, donating over 500 hours of her time to the kaupapa.

“I work with the books at the store and absolutely love it, you get to meet so many people and connect with other volunteers, we all have such good laughs.”

“I remember once I was busy working on the shop floor and some other volunteers were having morning tea – all you could hear from the back room was laughter. What a wonderful sound to hear people laughing and the volunteers enjoying what they do with Habitat.”

Carole’s twin sister Judy also volunteers at Habitat. When Judy decided to work less at her job, Carole asked her to volunteer at ReStore and the rest is history. While Carole focuses on the books, Judy has an eye for all things retro, making them the perfect duo.

They both promote Habitat’s vision among friends and whānau and have a lot of fun volunteering together. ‘It’s the best feeling in the whole world to know that I am helping others by volunteering.”

Uplifting whānau through off-grid housing solutions

We promote fair and decent housing

Habitat was honored to attend Waitangi as part of the ‘Roadmap to my whare’ event, alongside community agencies, government and iwi to address housing challenges in Tai Tokerau (Northland).

In partnership with A-line Construction, Habitat provided a unique off-grid modular solution to meet the needs of whānau living on remote/rural land across Tai Tokerau. The living needs of whānau were at the forefront of the design and draw on Habitat’s 30 years of experience delivering affordable housing solutions in the region.

Sixty thousand people attended the event, which focused on creating space for whānau to see housing in a new light and find tangible ways to build a whare on their own whenua. The event highlighted the importance of rangatiratanga (self determination, self-governance) and whakawhanaungatanga (establishing relationships) with other stakeholders, focused on addressing the housing needs of whānau across Tai Tokerau.

“We want to ensure there are housing solutions to address needs across a variety of housing tenures and true mobility through the housing continuum. Emergency housing is very much needed; however we want to stop people getting into that situation in the first place through housing that meets people at their point of affordability” said Conrad LaPointe, Habitat Northern CEO

Being able to meet whānau, government ministers and iwi leaders kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face) and be part of the solution to critical housing issues was an honour. Habitat will continue to work alongside government, iwi and the private sector to get.

See video

Creating warm, healthy homes with Genesis

We promote fair and decent housing

This year Genesis Energy got behind Curtain Banks across the country to support them in creating warmer, healthier homes.

Damp, cold and draughty homes can lead to health problems and high power bills. One way to warm up a home and reduce energy bills is by insulating windows with good-quality and well-fitted curtains. Volunteers and staff at the Habitat Curtain Bank cut, sew, repurpose and fit curtains for thousands of Kiwi families each year. The partnership with Genesis has meant even more vulnerable whānau could be supported to have warmer, healthier homes.

Marilyn Jones, Head Machinist at Habitat’s Curtain Bank can see the impact her work is having on the community. “I want to help because I see the benefit for families that need warm, dry homes. If we provide these double lined curtains for them that helps with the health benefits for the children.

“We often get messages saying that families haven’t been to the doctor or the hospital for months because they have the new curtains. It feels great, like you’re doing something worthwhile.”

For the first time, Genesis ran a public campaign to raise awareness for warm, dry, healthy homes and fundraise for their community partners across a range of media platforms throughout the country. This included digital billboards, social media activations, and competitions, as well as television and OnDemand advertising, and a Seven Sharp segment with Hilary Barry.

Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of Kiwis and Genesis, this has enabled Habitat to give Kiwi families quality curtains, to help heat their homes efficiently.

See Seven Sharp interview here

A bed for every child - collaborating with Variety

We promote fair and decent housing

This year through the Healthy Homes Initiative, Variety the Children’s Charity partnered with Habitat to support whānau to create a healthier sleep space for their pēpi and tamariki by providing quality cots and beds.

Everyday Habitat works with whānau impacted by cold, damp and overcrowded homes, with some families sleeping in one room to keep warm. Visiting over one thousand homes per year, Habitat aims to reduce avoidable and preventable hospitalisations and illnesses such as rheumatic fever and bronchiolitis, caused by unhealthy housing conditions.

Devon Kellett, Healthy Homes Team Lead said, “The reality is, it’s not about a good bed or a bad bed for some whānau, it’s about having a bed at all.”

“Variety’s funding means we can do what we do. It means that after we have helped block out the cold, hung new curtains and scrubbed away the mould, we can show whānau effective ways to keep their home warm and dry. We can give them a hand up off their crammed mattresses on the floor, or directly from the floorboards and into their very own healthy, clean new beds. Every child deserves that, right?”

The result is transformational for families, who can feel proud of the home Habitat has helped them create.

“It is always memorable to be embraced by whānau when delivering kids new beds…some of the grins of disbelief I have been privileged to witness, some of the most heartfelt kai I have been shared with in gratitude. I wish we got to do more of that, I hope families know how deserving they are.” He taonga rongonui te aroha ki te tangata. Goodwill towards others is a precious treasure.

Pacific Climate Readiness Programme

Our work overseas

Habitat for Humanity New Zealand has launched its new Climate Readiness Programme, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s newly announced Climate Finance Funding. The programme is designed to work alongside in country partners, Habitat Fiji and ADRA Samoa, as well as Pacific communities providing locally led workshops.

“The Pacific Islands are living with the effects of climate change now,” says Alan Thorp, CEO Habitat New Zealand.

“Homes, land, traditional ways of life, and livelihoods are under threat. Alongside our local partners, Habitat is looking forward to implementing our climate programme in Fiji and Samoa, so Pacific communities can adapt now, not react later.”

The US National Science Foundation reports that despite contributing just 0.03% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the small island states of the Pacific are confronting the brunt of climate change’s impacts, such as sea levels rise, worsening cyclones, flooding, and other extreme weather events.

To prepare for these shelter risks, Habitat’s programme up-skills community participants to identify potential hazards in their environment and support them in planning and developing projects to minimise risk. The programme also supports improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities and builds financial literacy to enable communities to manage resources to improve their housing and shelter.

Through Habitat’s existing programming, recent community projects have included the construction and repair of sea walls, evacuation centres, drainage, water supply and sanitation facilities.

Expansion of shelter programmes in Tonga

Our work overseas

Building resilience for diverse communities and empowering young women to become leaders are key outcomes for two new Habitat pilot programmes in the Kingdom of Tonga.

The pilot partnership with Live and Learn, and the Talitha Project in Tonga is an expansion of the shelter programming Habitat New Zealand has been delivering in Tonga for the past eight years. Most recently it has completed building eight new homes for families displaced by the January 2022 volcanic eruption and tsunami, with the final keys being handed over in the second half of 2023.

The Talitha Project has operated in Tonga since 2009. Their work aims to empower young girls to make informed decisions through informal education, life skills and development programmes, providing tools to their families to support income opportunities. Live and Learn Tonga has existing programmes in Tonga to improve access to decent living conditions with a focus on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities and training in communities.

Habitat New Zealand and its partners are supporting these programmes to increase capacity, with a focus on youth. They are implementing shelter programmes such as Participatory Approach to Safe Shelter Awareness (PASSA) and Build Back Safer (BBS) trainings that have been running in Samoa and Fiji for more than five years. Youth PASSA training will also be run from a new Youth Hub that is being established in Tongatapu, supporting young people to take on leadership roles and be actively involved in improving housing and shelter in their communities.

Both BBS and PASSA trainings are locally led and teach skills including risk reduction, home maintenance, financial literacy, and community project management skills that are then put into practice with a grant-funded community project. These programmes are delivered under the five-year Negotiated Partnerships (NP) programme funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Advancing affordable housing for all

Looking forward

Over the past year Habitat Northern has substantially grown our portfolio of tenures to support more whānau across the housing continuum.

The launch of Warren Place, Habitat’s largest Public Housing development in Aotearoa, has allowed 22 local whānau to move from transitional accommodation into quality, secure homes. Throughout the project Habitat worked with G.J. Gardner Whangārei, local contractors and the community to ensure the homes were built to last, would foster community and were cost efficient to run. Partnering with local businesses was a key part of ensuring the homes were community focussed from the start, with the collective goal of creating stable housing so families can thrive for generations to come.

Further to the delivery of Public Housing, the addition of Affordable Rental to Habitat’s programmes reflects our dedication to addressing the diverse housing needs of Kiwis. Affordable Rental offers below market rent for quality, long-term homes, enabling tenants to consolidate debt, save for the future and prepare for homeownership.

We aspire to grow this area in the coming year, backed by a significant amount of land and construction of 10 Affordable Rental homes already underway in Whangārei.

Empowering Homeownership: Celebrating Achievements and New Beginnings

Looking forward

For over 30 years, Habitat has supported whānau to achieve their dreams of homeownership. The rent-to-buy model supports working families and couples to make homeownership a reality, with every rent payment going directly toward owning the home, making getting on the property ladder much more achievable.

We are in the beginning stages of the selection process for Progressive Homeownership in Whangārei, with 24 houses confirmed and currently under construction.

Eight two-bedroom homes have been completed in Māngere East, with families already moving in. One couple is the first in their family to own their own home.

Habitat commemorated their hard work and success into homeownership, along with three other families with a dedication ceremony, coming together over kai to celebrate with family, friends, and Habitat staff.

Donation FAQ

Can I make a donation over the phone or via internet banking?

If you wish to make a donation via credit card over the phone, please phone us on (09) 579 4111

You can donate via internet banking:
Habitat for Humanity New Zealand
ANZ
06-0177-0127197-00

If you wish your donation to go to a specific appeal please include in the payment Reference

Will I receive a receipt for my donation?

If you make a donation on our website your receipt will be emailed to you automatically.

If you choose to donate via internet banking, you will receive your receipt via email 1-2 days after you make your donation. If no email address is given, your receipt will be posted to the address given.

Is my receipt tax deductible?

Donations over $5.00 are tax deductible. You can submit your receipt to IRD website, and they will process your tax rebate.

Can I donate monthly?

Yes, you can give regular monthly donations to your chose Habitat for Humanity appeal. Just select 'give monthly' when processing your donation payment.

How do I change or cancel my monthly gift?

You can change, cancel or suspend your monthly donation at any time. Please email us at info@habitat.org.nz, or phone us on (09) 579 4111.

What day of the month will my credit card be charged?

Your credit card will be charged once you submit your first monthly gift, and future donations will be made on that same day going forward. If you wish to change your payment date to better suit your pay cycle, please get in touch via information@habitat.org.nz, or phone us on (09) 579 4111 and we can easily action that for you.

Will I receive an annual tax receipt?

Yes, you will receive an annual tax receipt at the close of the financial year, recording all donations.

Can I set up a monthly donation via my internet banking?

Yes, if you wish to donate via internet banking, our details are

Habitat for Humanity New Zealand
ANZ
06-0177-0127197-00

If you wish your donation to go to a specific appeal, please enter into your Reference

What are the benefits of monthly giving?

One tax receipt recording all your donations for the financial year, making it easy to claim your tax rebate.

With small payments spread out month to month, becoming a HopeBuilder can suit any budget. Even a small amount can have a huge impact.

Your donation occurs automatically each month, and you can pause, downgrade, upgrade, or cancel at any time.

Your regular support ensures long-term impact, all year long.

Thank you for your interest in donating goods

Please fill in the below enquiry form and we will be in touch soon.

Thank you for your volunteer enquiry!

Please fill in the below enquiry form with your details and we will be in touch within 2 working days.

We provide homes

We make homes habitable

We promote fair & decent housing

We work overseas

Habitat Northern Annual Report FY24

A word from our chairman - FY24

A word from our CEO - FY24

A word from our leaders

Who we are - FY24

Our theory of change

Who we are

Our delivery

Who we are

Impact at a glance

Who we are

We provide homes - FY24

Sally’s journey of dedication and perseverance

Building affordable, stable homes for local whānau

We provide homes

We make homes habitable - FY24

Repairing homes for future generations

Rebuilding after Cyclone Gabrielle

Bringing life back into whānau home

The power of solar for off-grid whānau home

We make homes habitable

We mobilise people and resources - FY24

Sharing the love with Habitat volunteers

Rangatahi aspirations for homeownership

Paying tribute to years of dedicated mahi

Community connection through volunteering

We mobilise people and resources

We promote fair and decent housing - FY24

Uplifting whānau through off-grid housing solutions

Creating warm, healthy homes with Genesis

A bed for every child - collaborating with Variety

We promote fair and decent housing

Our work overseas - FY24

Pacific Climate Readiness Programme

Expansion of shelter programmes in Tonga

Our work overseas

Looking forward - FY24

Advancing affordable housing for all

Empowering Homeownership: Celebrating Achievements and New Beginnings

Looking forward

Habitat Northern Financial Statements FY24

Financial statements FY24

No results found…

Loading…