Homefullness

Housing Crisis Unlocked: The Legal Path to Affordable, Cooperative Living

Sophie, a public works advisor at Land Information New Zealand, discusses her PhD in law, focusing on achieving housing affordability through collective housing, and cooperative housing in particular.
The conversation covers various aspects, including the lack of research and public awareness on collective housing in New Zealand, her personal experiences with different housing systems in Europe, and the role of local and central governments in addressing the housing crisis.
Sophie emphasizes the need for legal reforms to support cooperative housing structures and discusses her findings on the limitations of the unit title structure for collective housing and how finance and funding is blocked without the legislation for cooperative housing.
The discussion also touches on potential influences from European and Australian models, and the importance of incorporating the “right to housing” into domestic law. The interview ends with Sophie’s aspirations for housing in New Zealand and recommendations for further reading and resources on cooperative housing.
Links
Sophie’s research: https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/items/e546de2f-eddb-400c-8bc5-5bffb1c04651
Common Ground: https://commonground.net.nz
CoHoHui: https://www.cohohui.com/
The Housing Innovation Society: https://thehousinginnovationsociety.com/
 
Time stamps
00:00 Introduction: Highlight
00:45 Welcome to the Homefulness Show
01:31 Meet Sophie: A Passionate Advocate for Housing
03:04 Sophie's Early Experiences with Housing
07:22 Housing Challenges in New Zealand
13:58 Sophie's PhD Research and Findings
29:14 Legal and Policy Changes for Cooperative Housing
38:18 Sophie's Current Housing and Future Aspirations
42:12 Fun Facts and Final Thoughts

Building a non-residential community of purpose and belonging

In the latest episode of the Homefullness Show, I interview Trypp West, the founder of an urban community called Springfed in Boulder, Colorado (USA).  He describes the founding of Springfed, a community that started as his thesis project and has continued for the past three years. The community operates on a non-residential model with the meeting place being his rented farmhouse where they hold fortnightly potlucks and Sunday gardening days to foster social bonds and teach self-sufficiency.
The five take-aways from this interview are:
Community Impact:
The intentional community has profoundly impacted individuals, helping those suffering from depression and disconnection. Members express deeply personal benefits and emotional support from the community, which enhances their sense of belonging and life purpose.
Concept of Homefullness:
"Homefullness" is described as the feeling of being able to rely on and connect with people around you. It emphasizes the importance of interrelatedness and creating a supportive environment that fosters a sense of home.
Development and Leadership:
The community, initiated as a thesis project, has continued to thrive for years. The leadership promotes shared roles and responsibilities, empowering members to take on leadership roles and contributing to the evolution of the community. Leadership includes facilitating conflict resolution and ensuring equitable participation.
Ecological and Social Activities:
Key activities include bi-weekly potlucks that strengthen social bonds, garden days that teach and involve members in sustainable practices, and various thematic events that encourage community engagement and personal growth.
Measuring Success and Future Vision:
Success is measured qualitatively through heartfelt feedback from members rather than formal metrics. The community prioritizes emotional and social well-being through personal testimonies and shared experiences. Future visions include potentially expanding to a more residential model while continuing to foster inclusive and cooperative community practices.
 
Resources mentioned in episode:
Common Ground: https://commonground.net.nz
CrowsFlyInPairs.com (poetry book)
Upstream, podcast on socialist economics
Iron John, book by Robert Bly on masculinity
Returning to the Teachings by Rupert Ross
Less is More by Jason Hickel
Trypp's email: onatrypp@gmail.com
Zola's: zola@commonground.net.nz

Gentle Density: Backyard housing development that leaves room for nature & connection

 Gentle density is a term in Australia for infill housing development in urban areas, to create more housing within existing neighbourhoods, also known as incremental development in the U.S. 
In this episode, I interview Mark and Lynda Utting on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland Australia.  They share about their way of developing housing in their backyard to give a great place to live to the future residents. 
They are able to do this because their area has been rezoned to medium density, meaning they've been given permission to build up to nine units in their backyard.
A lot of people get worried when they hear "density" and infill development because downsides can include shade blocking out nearby houses, it might not match the character of the original neighborhood, too many cars parked on the road, etc. 
Yet, Mark and Lynda have come up with a land-use and housing design that I think few would have problems with. They have kept it to four new dwellings because they are prioritising quality of life for their residents and more sustainable and environmental outcomes. 
This is a great interview because it showcases how density and infill development can be done better.  They speak about the challenges of being lay-developers (not professional) but also the joy and opportunity of learning new skills and knowledge, of creating a sense of belonging to place, and the resources they've found helpful in their endeavour.  Visit their instagram page to see what that can look and function like.  
We speak to the need for Councils to give incentives for infill development that prioritises better social, environmental, and affordability outcomes rather than the usual profit motive of conventional developers.  And that councils can give assistance or support to lay developers to achieve these better outcomes.
So have a listen to this episode about what gentle density and better infill development can look like and how to do it. 
Links mentioned in this episode:
Mark & Lynda's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gentledensity/
Undercover Architect: https://undercoverarchitect.com/
Renew: https://renew.org.au/
Strong Towns: https://www.strongtowns.org/
Common Ground: https://www.commonground.net.nz/
 

Sharing with Friends: An Innovative Co-Housing Model for Single Women

The Sharing with Friends housing model was born out of a burning desire for housing justice for single older women who are in the "missing middle"--who do not qualify for social housing but also can't afford market rental or to buy their own home and who are living on the edge of housing insecurity. 
The unique co-housing model provides an affordable, secure, and connected way of living where five women, who self-select, share a specifically designed house which offers privacy and automony while also a sense of community, having spaces for shared meals and activities.
I interview Susan Davies and Adrienne Irvine, founders of the Sharing with Friends Foundation about how they formed the foundation and fund the development, how the programme gives women agency by through workshops that empowers them to design how they will live together, and how the model can be replicated throughout Australia and other countries.
https://www.sharingwithfriends.org/
https://www.commonground.net.nz/
 

HomeShare for Her: Facilitating relationships for successful home sharing

In our latest Homefullness episode, I interview Chloe Howorth on the HomeShare for Her program located in the Nelson-Tasman region of Aotearoa NZ.
The program addresses the lack of affordable housing and the lack of available housing for single women. Because in our region, according to a Stuff article in April 2023, it says “low wages and expensive housing make the Nelson Tasman area unaffordable” with our housing being the third worst in the country, with some people spending over 50% of their income on housing.
But the other thing that the programme does is it mitigates the problems that can come up when people share a living space together.
You might've seen the program on Netflix called the Worst Roommate Ever. That's enough to make you to never want to have a roommate, pretty gruesome stories.
So, HomeShare for Her hopes to mitigate those kinds of very traumatic experiences, as well as help women have the best possible shared living situation, sharing the home in a way that's equal, where everyone living there feels like the house really is their home.
This a programme that could be replicated in other regions so listen in to learn about how it's done.
That's what we're going to talk about today in our story about HomeShare for Her.
Links mentioned in the show:
https://homeshareforher.nz/
https://www.williamsamuels.co.nz/
https://www.commonground.net.nz/
 

How councils can get more money to create new housing & reduce rates

If you're frustrated by the amount of rates that you pay and the increasing rates that many councils are doing, you are not alone.  Many people complain, “councils, all they care about is money.” And yet, they have increasing expenses & responsibilities to pay for with less income--a gap that's been widening over decades.  The amount of income that they're able to generate through rates is not covering all the things they're responsible for. So, what is the solution?
Well, we've got Nick Clark, with the NZ Initiative, on to explain to us how the new policy he's proposing called Revenue Share for Housing could work.  He says it could clear most council debt and create new income streams for local councils. The benefit is that there'll be more money to be able to support new housing construction and the infrastructure needed for that and rates hopefully won't continue to increase.
So how does this work? Well, we're going to explain about it in this episode, but the basics are that:  A portion of the GST that's collected by central government from local councils on new builds would be given back to the councils.
This is really a game changer, so listen in to hear about this policy that could increase the amount of income your counsel is able to generate to create new housing in your area and that might even stabilize the rates.

Increasing diversity of housing options--a survey of what people really want in housing

In this interview with Greer O'Donnell of The Housing Innovation Society (THIS) and The Urban Advisory (TUA), I speak with her about a growing demographic in housing--the missing middle--as well the increase in people who wish to have more say in the kinds of housing that they want to create and how they want to live in that housing. The New Zealand Housing Survey was created to be able to capture this information.
We speak about the kinds of housing that we could have and how you, the listener, by taking part in the survey, can help define the diversity of the choices in housing and neighbourhoods that we can have and need in Aotearoa NZ. 
We also encourage you to join The Housing Innovation Society as a member and come participate in the CoHoHui which will be held 15-17 April 2025 in Ōtautahi (Christchurch).
Links referred to in this episode:
https://www.nzhousingsurvey.co.nz/
https://www.theurbanadvisory.com/
https://thehousinginnovationsociety.com/
https://www.cohohui.com/

Women catalysing affordable housing and neighbourhood models

The fastest growing demographic who are vulnerable to housing insecurity and unaffordable housing is older women.  Many of these women have been valuable contributing members of their communities and working professionally yet find themselves in housing precariousness later in life due to a range of systemic societal and economic factors.  
The Housing Older Women Movement believes these women should have a say and be able to participate in creating the kind of housing that meets their needs and aspirations.  HOWM are advocating and raising awareness for what they see meets not only the needs of women but provides more affordable and diverse housing choices for people from all walks of life.
In South East Queensland, Australia this mighty group of HOWM women banded together to tackle this problem with an awareness-raising and advocacy campaign where women can be a part of designing the kinds of intergenerational and socially-connected neighbourhoods where they want to live.
HOWM realised there is a need for more affordable, community-led, and regenerative housing options as house prices rise around the world but unless people know what options are available and what makes a successful housing development of this kind, people are not able to advocate for these models.  Collaboration on these models creates affordability so councils and other role players also need to understand these models and what is their part to play to enable it.
I interview Maggie Shambrook and Lynette Loffel, two powerhouse women with HOWM, about their community engagement series called My Home, Your Home, Our Homes.  
The three models that HOWM believes that will give the best results for retained affordable housing and where future-residents can participate or influence in the development process are the Community Land Trust, Cooperative Housing, and Cohousing.  There is also the Ecovillage model which can overlay any of these.  
Listen to this interview to learn about this advocacy movement, their community engagement strategy to bring community and council together increasing agency and collaboration, and how you can replicate their methods to use in your own community to catalyse better housing outcomes--for women and everyone!

A collaborative Local Government approach for housing systems change & Inclusionary Zoning as a policy for affordable housing

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/

Securing affordable home ownership for generations, an interview about the Secure Home programme

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