In this interview with Aksel Bech, we are tackling housing unaffordability and the levers within legislation, policy, and at the local government level that are available to be able to create better outcomes for housing. I reached out to Aksel because he and I care deeply about addressing this housing unaffordability problem in Aotearoa NZ and he is leading the way on housing reform in his local area through The Housing Czar, a housing advocacy initiative in the Waikato. (http://housingczar.nz/) Aksel tells us about the Waikato Housing Initiative (WHI), which is a collaboration of all the different councils within that Waikato region, where they came together to create a local strategy around how to tackle the regional housing crisis. (https://www.waikatohousinginitiative.org/) We talk about: the policy called inclusionary zoning, a policy that a local government can put into place to make land available for affordable housing.the Community Land Trust (CLT) as a means of creating housing to be perpetually affordable.the WHI and how that came to be, its goals, and what it has achieved to date.about Aksel's background growing up in Denmark and how that has influenced how he understands housing differently than it is currently done in Aotearoa, which has a more collective or community led approach to it. And why he thinks more in terms of neighbourhoods than just about housing.  We want to make these models known to everyone so please have a listen and check out the Common Ground website for more resources, our newsletter, and to get in touch. For more detailed information and explanation videos on Inclusionary Zoning, AKA Inclusionary Housing, you can visit this site: https://inclusionaryhousing.org/inclusionary-housing-explained/what-is-inclusionary-housing/ ----more---- About Common Ground:  It is the consulting agency I started to provide professional services that enable more affordable, socially connected, resilient, and climate-adaptive housing and neighbourhood development and place-based living. We work with local government, community housing providers,  for-purpose developers, and groups of people wishing to lead their own housing initiatives. We provide services in housing strategy, in design and facilitation of meaningful community engagement, in research, in policy development, in training in new approaches to better housing outcomes, We also provide services in Workplace Culture and Communication to create more cohesive and effective teams and workplaces. Why work with Common Ground: We take a whole systems and innovative approachwe have decades of experience in community and regenerative development,we have a compassionate work culture,we are aligned with the community engagement best practices of IAP2,our knowledge is research-based, andwe work with a spirit of joy, creativity, and collaboration. Visit our website at https://www.commonground.net.nz/ to learn more about our services, get the two reports—one on housing for women and another on the community land trust model. Sign up for our weekly newsletter for inspirational resources, links to case studies that showcase successful initiatives and policies, and announcement to upcoming events.  Get in touch with Zola directly at zola@commonground.net.nz

In this episode, I interview Sam Stout and David Diaper who are homeowners of the Secure Home programme in Queenstown, as well as Corina Sommerville who is a staff member with the programme. I really like this program is because keeps housing affordable for generations into the future. Secure Home is an assisted ownership program created by the Queenstown Lakes, Community Housing Trust.  Designed as a stepping stone to independent home ownership, this program provides people the chance to purchase a quality and secure tenure home at an affordable price. The model works by separating the land from the improvements. So, a household only needs to purchase the house, whilst the trust owns the land. The programme was launched by QLCHT in 2019 and is now being offered by other community housing trusts around Aotearoa. (quote from Julie Scott) Rather than being seen by programme homeowners as a loss (not being able to sell it at windfall profits on the open market), they see it as a legacy.  As David says in the interview, “It's quite reassuring. I find it quite satisfying to think that when we're at a point where we  want to move on somewhere else or not within the needs of the housing trust, that it will go on to be beneficial to another family that need it. That's, actually hugely satisfying to us--that it's always going to remain as an awesome asset for other families that struggle to access housing in this area.” Photo details: Family pictured is not Sam and David.  They are another family in the Secure Home programme, Kenny and Carrie Vaugh.  Photo courtesy of Run in the Shadows.  On the left, Corina Sommerville and on the right, Zola Rose   Other news & info: Common Ground supports local government to enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, communities and to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities (Local Government Act 2002) particularly as it relates to community-led housing, neighbourhoods, and human settlements. See this webpage for more information: https://www.commonground.net.nz/councilsupport   The Cooperative Living network in Nelson-Tasman is holding workshops and networking events for those interested in the idea of some sort of cooperative living/intentional community arrangement. I hold a Regenerative and Tiny Home Community Mastermind online for people who are leading such projects anywhere in the country, every two months.   For more details and to register for either/both projects, go to: https://www.commonground.net.nz/projects   There is a national Housing Survey to gather data on how people are currently living and the factors that affect those living arrangements as well as what people aspire to if they had more choice and support.  This survey is the first of its kind in Aotearoa to gather data on collective housing (co-housing, co-living, papakāinga, cooperative housing, ecovillage) as a housing choice.   We'll be hosting Greer to share all about it in the next month or two. Find the survey here: https://www.nzhousingsurvey.co.nz/   Australia just launched its national Community Land Trust Network.   The main benefits a CLT can offer include: affordable and secure housing in perpetuity, ecological land stewardship and conservation, halt gentrification, affordable land for food production, and community empowerment and agency in housing and land use. See the video of their launch which gives an overview of the model and how its already benefitting the missing middle in Australia: https://youtu.be/51WhSIR73jY?si=E2jj1KFRLPtUwoAw

I interview Peter Southwick, a Trustee of the Bridge Housing Trust in the Waikato, on their land trust model for affordable home ownership. We discuss how this model works, could be replicated around the country, as well as what levers need to be pulled to make it happen. Bridge Housing Trust has replicated the successful “Secure Home” model from the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) where the cost of the house to buy does not include buying the land. Instead, the Trust holds the land for the wider community to always be able to offer affordable housing in perpetuity.  What is different about Bridge Housing Trust is that, unlike QLCHT which was initiated by the District government, it was kicked off by a philanthropist who wanted to make his land available for affordable housing and so formed a Trust to be able to hold ownership of that land. I asked Peter what he believes are the leverage points and what he would do for housing if he had a magic wand. Actually, what we realised is that it doesn’t take magic to create better housing outcomes but it does take the more powerful role players of central and local government, financial institutions, big industry employers, and land-owning philanthropists to be bold, proactive, collaborative and then invest in and enable these tried-and-tested housing models. For more information on Bridge Housing Trust and to see images and more stories, visit their website at: https://bridgehousing.co.nz/ Zola Rose is a consultant with Common Ground, supporting local councils, communities and stakeholders to enable affordable, connected and resilient communities To get regular inspiration, resources, and updates on the topics of affordable, connected, resilient, and community engagement for regenerative housing communities, keep in touch: Visit the Common Ground website, sign up for our newsletter, get the many resources we offer there, book a meeting with me, engage our services for your project, and more…: https://www.commonground.net.nz/ If you’d like to be a guest or sponsor of the show, go to this link: https://www.commonground.net.nz/show Follow us on our Common Ground Facebook page.  Our Instagram is commongroundaotearoanz.

This episode is a recording of the Women Revolutionising Housing (WRH) learning and networking event where Ruth Gerzon, a WRH member, shares about her efforts championing for housing justice in her hometown of Whakatāne, in Aotearoa New Zealand. Ruth and others formed a group called the Whakatāne Housing Action Reform Enthusiasts which makes the acronym WHARE, which means home/house in Te Reo Māori, to address the housing justice issues in her community.  In this episode you will hear of the great strategies Ruth and WHARE have done ' how she mobilises her community to present about their housing challenges,gets the media to cover the issues,gets her local council to participate and start to address these challenges from a systems perspective,and the ways in which they are able to bring the community's voice to the forefront to shape the future of housing in Whakatāne. Her presentation can be found here: https://bit.ly/3PPQHm9 For more information on the show, check out the page on the Common Ground website at https://www.commonground.net.nz/show.  There, you can find a form to apply to be a guest or a sponsor of the show. While on the CG website, check out what services we offer to councils, for-purpose developers, community housing providers, and community groups who want strategies, support and engagement on community-led, affordable, connected, and regenerative housing. Please subscribe to this show as well as the Common Ground YouTube channel to get the newest episodes: http://www.youtube.com/@CommonGroundchannel

In this first episode, I share why I've started the show, the housing challenges that propel me to do this work, and what you can look forward to learning. With this platform and network, we can catalyse housing and neighbourhoods that are places of belonging, of home, while also providing solutions that address some of the biggest challenges of our time. You will also hear a beautiful song by one of my neighbours at Riverside community, Florian Pauls, called We Live in Love.