What makes community housing providers unique?
Insights from the sector on what makes CHPs different
Over the past year, interviews with housing sector participants explored what distinguishes community housing providers from other housing organisations. The consensus identified three defining characteristics: deep local connections, mission-driven approaches, and comprehensive tenant support. Unlike commercial providers focused on financial returns, CHPs embed themselves within specific communities, developing intimate knowledge of local needs and challenges.
This community rootedness enables tailored housing solutions that respond to particular demographic, cultural, and economic contexts. Perhaps most significantly, CHPs maintain long-term perspectives that transcend political cycles and policy shifts. Their mission focus and local accountability create organisational resilience, allowing them to sustain affordable housing commitments even as government programmes start and stop. This stability distinguishes community housing providers as essential infrastructure for housing security across Aotearoa.
