Blenheim Gains More Affordable Rental Homes

The opening of Marlborough Sustainable HousingTrust's three 4-bedroom home project on Hutcheson Street was officially opened by Mayor Nadine Taylor in 2023.

A $1.8m community loan from Rātā Foundation provided cornerstone funding for the Hutcheson St project, which will be repaid from the rents and subsidies provided by Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga, Ministry for Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

In opening the homes, the Mayor said anyone would be proud to live there.

"I want to acknowledge the determined work done by our Sustainable Housing Trust over many years.

"We are short of all housing stock in Marlborough, but this is most acutely felt in the need for larger homes that lower-income families can afford. "

The Hutcheson St homes will be managed by the Christchurch Methodist Mission, which selects tenants from families in transitional housing.

Trust Chair Dr Bev James says the Trust could not have contemplated either project without the support of Rātā Foundation and the Government through HUD.

"Both have provided the bricks-and-mortar funding to our Trust. Marlborough and we owe them a big thank you – and I'm sure those families who will live in these warm, affordable, and sustainable homes will be applauding, too. "

Rātā Chief Executive Leighton Evans says the project directly aligned with Rātā funding priorities to ensure communities in need have equitable access to the facilities, resources, and opportunities that allow them to thrive.

"With housing stock low in Blenheim, there are often too few options for larger families. Projects like this provide options and fill a gap in the rental market by bringing homes with four double bedrooms. "

Marlborough Sustainable Housing Trust revealed a new five-unit development will go up on High Street after securing a further $2.18 million in funds.

Another community loan from Rātā Foundation will boost the new funding to buy the five new units.

"We've got some paperwork to finalise things, but with the support again from Government and Rātā, we have secure funding to purchase the homes from the developer when they are built," Bev explains.

Rents for the new double-story units are expected to be less than 80 percent of the median market rent for the type of home.

The homes are geared towards low- to moderate-income working households who struggle to pay market rents in Blenheim.