New Zealand home ownership rate peaked at 73 percent in 1986 and since then its been declining.

Significantly, current statistical home ownership rates amongst Pacific peoples is very low compared to the NZ National Average.  Census 2001 information, indicated that 68% of Pacific families are in rent-based circumstances, with 32% owning their own home compared to the NZ national average which is the flip reverse with 68% of New Zealand families owning their own homes.

The lack of Pacific peoples who own their own homes is influenced not only by the quality and fragmentation of critical services, but also by cultural and social factors including income, education and housing.  Thus the homeownership status of Pacific peoples can be related to lower socio-economic issues, the inability to gain employment and the changes in traditional Pacific support structures, which are often associated with adjustment to a New Zealand way of life.

The three main barriers to access of homeownership by Pacific people are:

• Financial/Affordability
• Cultural/Language
• Fragmentation of Services

Designs of NZ Housing

Housing designs in many areas with large Pacific communities are geared towards the nuclear pakeha family. They are architecturally unsuitable for Pacific families taking into account cultural patterns and practices and family size.

Health & Housing
Housing has been a long-time issue amongst Pacific peoples right across New Zealand. The issues of over-crowding, damp and un-insulated housing, landlord/tenant conflicts, and safety issues are all well known.  The Otago School of Medicine have conducted a healthy housing research study in Porirua and the results confirm a link between un-insulated housing and increased health problems amongst Pacific families. Another known problem is living space limitations, and how Pacific families with school children do not have proper study environments, which does impact on their educational progress.

Our aim is to empower Pacific families with the ability to achieve sustainable and responsible home ownership; provide them with the appropriate programmes, tools and resources to build an economic base for themselves, and their family’s future. Many of the disadvantages associated with renting will be addressed as they will take more pride in maintaining their own home, understand basic repairs, better insulation, and can renovate and expand to accommodate the family’s ever growing needs.

Education & Training
Education will be a major component of our homeownership programme. Client families will go through a home ownership workshop which will include understanding different mortgage and insurance products, legal process in buying a house, repairs/maintenance, and budget management. This education and training will be crucial to ensure client families are making informed decisions (based on their personal circumstances) as they go though the various stages of home ownership. Client families who successfully complete the educational workshops will be given a ‘Home Ownership Certificate of Completion’.

Community Benefits
The benefit to the Pacific Island community is both social and economic. There will be less strain on the rental market as more Pacific families move into their own homes.   Home ownership creates positive environments for families, with research confirming children of homeowners are more likely to become homeowners themselves, and also more likely to succeed at college and tertiary education. Home owners are more likely to improve and maintain their houses, and be involved in local community and civic affairs.
On the economic front, home ownership builds wealth with most properties over time increasing in value and equity, combined with the reducing mortgage. With a growing economic asset, it provides an opportunity to increase that wealth further, in obtaining a second or third mortgage.