CHA Hub Podcast

WARNING: This episode contains references to domestic violence and topics around drug and substance abuse.In this episode, we meet Mahera Maihi, founder and CEO of Mā Te Huruhuru, the first kaupapa Māori youth transitional housing provider in Aotearoa, and the Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year 2026. Mahera grew up in Ōtara, South Auckland, the child of two people caught in a collision of worlds — her mother from a long line of educated people, experts in carving, weaving, and traditional Māori knowledge; her father the president of a Stormtroopers gang chapter, shaped by state care, by a violent father who came home broken from the Korean War, by a life that offered him few exits and no map. What her father gave her, for all the chaos he brought, was this: education is the key to freedom. Go get educated and when you do, come back for your siblings. She did exactly that. In this episode, Mahera talks about the night a young woman arrived at her door with blood on her face and nowhere to go, and what happened next. She talks about two years of bureaucratic combat to become a housing provider — a circular trap where each ministry required what only the other could give — and what it took to break the deadlock. She talks about zero property damage, zero police callouts, and not one claim on the Supported Housing fund. And she talks about the deepest aspiration: to be the bridge that brings young people home. Not just to stable housing in South Auckland. Home.We'd like to thank Mahera for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast—wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Aaron Hendry, co-founder of Kickback and the driving force behind The Front Door — a single point of entry for rangatahi experiencing homelessness on K Road in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aaron came to this work as a young youth worker in West Auckland, sitting with a sixteen-year-old who had been sleeping at a bus stop. Confident there would be a system for this, he rang Work and Income. Too young, they said. He rang CYFS. Too old for them too. That clarity never left him. In this episode, Aaron talks about the pipelines the state has built directly into homelessness — the care system, the justice system, the health system — and why over sixty percent of the rangatahi coming through The Front Door are Māori, and why that cannot be separated from colonisation and land loss. He talks about Wales, and what Aotearoa could choose to do now: a duty to assist, a duty to refer, and a duty to collaborate — three legislative obligations that would mean no young person is ever again discharged from a hospital, a prison, or state care into nothing. And he talks about why it has to be law, not policy, because policy falls away with a change of government, and the framework to enforce it already exists. He ends not with statistics but with a question: what system would you want designed for the people you love? His answer, honestly given, is not yet this one.We'd like to thank Aaron for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Rami Alrudaini, Programme Manager at Housing First Auckland — the backbone organisation coordinating collective impact across Housing First providers in Tāmaki Makaurau AucklandRami's family fled war in Iraq before he was born. Social justice was instilled in him before he had a word for it. He came into the homelessness sector from mental health, where he first witnessed people with complex needs being systematically denied access to housing, and has spent his career since building the systems and infrastructure to prevent that from happening. In this episode, Rami talks about what a backbone organisation actually does — the connective tissue that holds a collaborative together, largely invisible to the public but essential to everything else working. He talks about the National Homelessness Data Project, what it is finding, and why welfare conditionality is showing up in the data as a direct pipeline into homelessness. He talks about the national lived experience community of practice, and why the demand for it is coming not just from people with lived experience but from organisational leaders who recognise its value. And he talks about Finland — how one country reduced homelessness by 80% over forty years through four things: good data, prevention, Housing First as a philosophy not a contract, and building houses. His conclusion is simple. It is not rocket science. What is missing is the political will. We'd like to thank Rami for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Alpha, a Peer Support Worker on the Outreach Team at Visionwest in West Auckland. Alpha came to the role the way the best peer workers do — not through a qualification, but through experience. After the loss of his parents, his family lost more than the people they loved. None of them were on the tenancy. The next day, they were asked to leave. Five years of homelessness followed. When a social worker at Visionwest offered him a house through his sister, he accepted. He started as a volunteer at the Pataaka Kai food bank — shy, uncertain, four days a week. Six months later he was offered a contract. He is now a peer support worker in outreach, finding people where they are and building trust with people who have learned not to trust systems. His qualification for the role is not a degree. It is everything that happened before. We'd like to thank Alpha for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Jeremy Nicholls, Supportive Housing Outreach Leader at Visionwest in West Auckland. Jeremy did not come to outreach work through a housing career. He came through a Bible college, a taxi, and twenty-five years running a homeless shelter in Chicago's Uptown neighbourhood. He returned to New Zealand in 2021 and has been leading street-level outreach ever since. In this episode, Jeremy talks about what his team finds every day — people living in vans along quiet residential streets in Birkenhead and Glenfield, couples moving between Blockhouse Bay and Ōrewa keeping the warrant of fitness current because the car is the house, a man who had been sleeping rough for five years because of a traumatic brain injury with no addiction, no mental health crisis, no drama, just a brain injury and nowhere to go. He talks about why outreach is relational work and why that is not incidental to its effectiveness but the entire method. He talks about the stereotype that everyone sleeping rough is addicted or mentally unwell, why it is not true, and why antisocial behaviour in urban centres is routinely blamed on the wrong people. And he talks about what he wants: decisions about homelessness made by people who actually understand it.We'd like to thank Jeremy for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Jill Hawkey, Executive Director of the Christchurch Methodist Mission, where she has spent twelve years growing a service spanning early childhood to end-of-life care. Jill trained as a social worker, spent twenty-five years in international aid and development, and returned to Ōtautahi just before the 2011 earthquakes. In this episode, Jill talks about what she has watched Housing First deliver in Christchurch — decreases in hospitalisation, decreases in mental health admissions, people who were homeless now on staff — and why over 100 people are currently receiving Housing First support while still sleeping on the street, because the housing simply does not exist to put them in. She talks about New Zealand's social housing stock sitting at 4% when Australia is at 16% and much of Europe is in the twenties and thirties, and why the private sector will never build the one- and two-bedroom accessible homes that low-income households actually need. Jill makes the case for a cross-party ten-year housing strategy — one percentage point a year, insulated from electoral cycles — and for why, if we start from housing as a human right, everything else follows.We'd like to thank Jill for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Ali Hamlin-Paenga, CEO of Te Matapihi, the national Māori housing sector peak body. Ali has been part of Te Matapihi in three different roles, from board member to deputy chair to CEO, and she brings to the work a framework that is, in its foundations, entirely different from the frameworks that govern most housing policy in Aotearoa. For Te Matapihi, the Māori housing system is built on five elements: wai, kai, whānau, whenua, and whakapapa. The housing policy world tends to see a house. Te Matapihi sees a system of relationships between people, land and identity that a house either supports or it does not. In this episode, Ali talks about the distinction between homelessness and what she calls houselessness, and why emergency housing is not a home. She talks about He Ara Hiki Mauri — five years of negotiation across two governments to build a genuinely Māori-led response that refuses to be a template, because every rohe knows what it needs. She talks about whakapapa as a practical tool, not a cultural abstraction, and what it means to bring someone home. And she talks about the cycle she has watched repeat across her career, and why the system's assumption that the ultimate product for Māori is an affordable rental is precisely the wrong place to start. We'd like to thank Ali for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Bianca Johanson — Chief Executive of Manaaki Rangatahi, the national collective working to prevent and end youth homelessness in Aotearoa. Bianca is a social worker of nearly thirty years, and someone for whom, by the statistics, homelessness should have been a personal outcome. She was transracially adopted in the closed stranger adoption era, born Māori and raised by a Pākehā whānau. The disconnection from whakapapa, from culture, from the knowledge of where she came from — is something she has spent her career working to prevent in others. In this episode, Bea talks about what she found when she went out and listened to the youth homelessness sector in Tāmaki — competitive, fragmented, and in places actively hostile — and what it took to build something different. She talks about what a young person homeless tonight in Aotearoa actually encounters, why rangatahi are not even making it to the receptionist at MSD, and what Manaaki Rangatahi is calling for: a national youth homelessness strategy, supported youth housing with standards, a Duty to Assist, and rangatahi voice embedded in everything. And she talks about the goal — 2040, no youth homelessness — and why the collective is not waiting for permission. We'd like to thank Bianca for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Linda Murphy, Health and Social Services Coordinator at the Calder Centre, part of the Auckland City Mission. Linda has been a nurse, a librarian, an Anglican minister, and a Human Rights Commission employee. In 2003 she slipped on a wet pavement on Wesley Street and was picked up by a dishevelled one-eyed man while suited pedestrians walked by. That moment cost her nothing and changed the direction of the rest of her life. For more than twenty years she has been accompanying vulnerable people through illness, crisis, and death at the Calder Centre — and since 1997 she has kept a personal record of every death among people connected to the Mission. The average age of death is 55 for men and 54 for women. A death every fortnight. In this episode, Linda talks about what it actually takes to accompany someone through the health system when they are frightened, traumatised, and possibly cognitively affected. She talks about the Corrections pipeline, the people who are housed but still cannot sleep indoors because the walls themselves are frightening, and why she does not think there is a single patient at the Calder Centre who does not suffer from PTSD. And she talks about what would actually help. We'd like to thank Linda for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Kelsi Cox, Supportive Housing Manager at HomeGround — the Auckland City Mission's $100 million integrated housing and health facility in central Auckland. Kelsi came to Aotearoa from British Columbia on a Rotary scholarship in 2013 and never left. Her background spans international development, public health, the YWCA, the Ministry for Women, the Department of Corrections, and women's refuge — a consistent thread running through all of it: a commitment to supporting wāhine and their whānau to thrive. In this episode, Kelsi talks about what happens after someone is housed — why that is often when the real challenge begins, and why that is not a failure of the model but the point of it. She talks about the rooftop garden on level nine that tenants built themselves, the whānau committee that meets every week, the gratitude club that runs on Mondays and Fridays, and why none of it was imposed. She talks about the funding system that sees intertwined needs as separate categories, and why her ask is simple: start with the person, not the funding box. We'd like to thank Kelsi for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Murray Edridge, Wellington City Missioner and the ordained Anglican priest — Baptist by whakapapa, he'll tell you — who has spent eight years walking alongside some of Wellington's most vulnerable people. Murray came to the Mission almost by accident, turning down the role before accepting it, and has since grown it into an organisation of 275 staff operating across six facilities in the Wellington region. In this episode, Murray talks about what it really means to believe that every person is unshakably good — and how that single idea shapes everything from the Mission's housing philosophy to the way staff respond when someone behaves badly. He talks about the homelessness coordination collective he helped build with Downtown Community Ministries and Hei Ringakura, why he refuses to respond to government tenders, and why he is deeply anxious about move-on orders. He also talks about Dennis — a man who came through the Mission on a very hard road and now works there as a peer support person, one of their best. And he makes the case that if we want to solve homelessness in New Zealand, we need to start not with housing policy, but with the first thirty months of a child's life.We'd like to thank Murray for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Nicola Fleming, Housing First Programme Manager at Christchurch Methodist Mission.Nicola came to this work through 20 years at Kāinga Ora — from the West Coast to Aranui in Christchurch, and then through the Canterbury earthquakes, going door to door in the red zone. What she found along the way was a conviction that real change happens at street level, not from a government desk.In this episode, Nicola talks about what Housing First actually looks like on the ground in Christchurch — who qualifies, how the outreach team finds people nobody has ever counted, and why recovery takes years, not months. She talks about the health gap her team identified and what they did about it, and why she believes Housing First is not a housing programme at all. It is a recovery programme.We'd like to thank Nicola for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Professor Nevil Pierse, Research Professor at the University of Otago Wellington, where he has spent more than two decades building New Zealand's evidence base on homelessness.Nevil is a statistician by inclination — and the first to say that the most important data point is never a number. It is the story behind it. His work with the People's Project in Hamilton tracked 400 people who had been sleeping rough on the city's streets, and found that before anyone thought to house them, they had collectively generated more than 200,000 recorded interactions with government services. Not hidden people. Not hard to reach. A total systems failure.In this episode, Nevil talks about what the data actually shows about who is homeless in New Zealand, why housing is the most effective mental health intervention available, and what Finland's experience proves about what's possible when political will matches the evidence. He also makes the case for why counting everyone matters — and what we stand to lose if we stop.We'd like to thank Professor Nevil Pierse for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Professor Peter Mackie, Executive Director of the Institute of Global Homelessness.Peter didn't set out to reshape how countries respond to homelessness. As a professor at Cardiff University, he led the research that informed the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 — the legislation that made homelessness prevention a legal duty and drew international attention as one of the most significant reforms of its kind. A decade on, the law he helped build is part of the conversation everywhere he goes.In this episode, Peter talks about what it actually took to shift a country's approach from responding to homelessness after it happens, to being legally required to act before it does. He reflects on what that model has achieved, where it falls short, and what it reveals about what's possible when political will matches the evidence. And he makes the case that homelessness has become normalised in ways that should be utterly unacceptable — and that COVID showed us exactly what's possible when a society decides something matters.We'd like to thank Professor Peter Mackie for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Bruce Ford — community advocate, former Southland District Councillor, and the driving force behind the Stewart Island Seniors Cottage Trust.Bruce has lived on Stewart Island since 1968. He knows everyone. And for years he has watched proud, independent people — the fishing families who built this community over generations — quietly struggle in ways that never appear on a government spreadsheet. They don't register for housing support. They manage. Until a medical event takes them off the island and into elder care in Invercargill, where, as Bruce puts it simply, they give up.In this episode, Bruce talks about what it takes to build a housing solution from scratch in a remote community that doesn't appear on any government priority list — six small cottages, modest and practical, designed to keep people home. He talks about six years of fundraising, rattling on doors in Wellington, and why the model he's building could work for small communities right across the country.We'd like to thank Bruce for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Brook Turner, Director of Partnerships at Visionwest in West Auckland.Brook didn't come to homelessness through a housing career. He came through youth development — and through the ten young people his team found living under the Henderson Bridge in the first week of opening a creative youth centre in West Auckland. All Māori. All recently discharged from the justice system into nothing. That moment set the course for everything that followed.In this episode, Brook makes the case for early intervention as the most powerful lever against adult homelessness, and for going unconditional — on housing, on people, on the commitment to solve this. He talks about what it actually takes to sustain a tenancy long term, why Housing First is a philosophy not just a programme, and why the system keeps building stopgaps when what's needed is a fundamentally different decision.We'd like to thank Brook for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Millie Lambess, City Safety and Harm Prevention Team Lead at Wellington City Council.Millie came to this work through community — through a belief in high-trust models, flexible funding, and the idea that the best responses start from what people actually need, not what the system is designed to offer. She began at council as a community connector during COVID, with a flexi fund and the autonomy to respond to whatever whānau needed. That experience shaped everything that followed.In this episode, Millie talks about Wellington City Council's role as connector and convener across the homelessness sector — and why local government is often better placed than anyone to see the full picture. She talks about the research into women's rough sleeping in Wellington's CBD, what those women said about safety, storage, and what home actually means, and why success doesn't always look the way we expect it to.We'd like to thank Millie for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Sehai Orgad, Senior Responsible Officer for City Safety at Wellington City Council.Sehai came to this work through the community — and through a conviction that homelessness and city safety are two different problems that require two different responses. The person sleeping rough on a Wellington street is not a threat to the person walking by. The person sleeping rough is more unsafe than the passerby. That distinction, simple as it sounds, is politically significant — and it shapes everything Wellington City Council's approach is built on.In this episode, Sehai talks about the Wellington Homelessness Coordination Service, why bringing mental health and addiction services into the room was the game changer, and what four and five-hour deep-dive case reviews actually reveal about the people the system has found hardest to reach. She makes the case for coordination over new money — and for knowing people by name before things escalate.We'd like to thank Sehai for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Vic Crockford — co-lead of the Coalition to End Women's Homelessness, and former Chief Executive of Community Housing Aotearoa.Vic came to this work through her grandmother — a single mother who fled a violent relationship, secured state housing in Hastings, and in doing so changed the trajectory of her family's life. Vic has known since she was young how much a home matters for children to flourish. Decades later, that understanding has become the engine of her advocacy.In this episode, Vic talks about what the research revealed — that women make up just over half of all people experiencing severe housing deprivation in this country, a figure most New Zealanders would find surprising. She talks about what makes women's homelessness distinct, why the wave building among older women is one the system is nowhere near ready for, and what a genuine women's homelessness strategy would actually look like.We'd like to thank Vic for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Dr Kathie Irwin — scholar, senior public servant, and Kaihautū of the Coalition to End Women's Homelessness in Aotearoa.Kathie is a third-generation Māori feminist educator, and she brings to this conversation decades of hard-won analysis about why wāhine Māori arrive at 65 without economic security — not by chance, but by design. Three generations of legislation, regulation, and policy, layered on top of one another, pointing women toward the lowest-paid sectors of the labour market and keeping them there.In this episode, Kathie traces that machinery with precision — from the 1847 Education Ordinance to today's retirement income policy — and asks what it would take to undo it. She talks about the power of capitalising the family benefit as a housing deposit, the vision of urban papakāinga as a genuine alternative to individualised housing solutions, and why New Zealand doesn't need to import new ideas. The answers, she argues, are already here.We'd like to thank Dr Kathie Irwin for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Natalia Cleland, Chief Executive of Downtown Community Ministry — A Wellington provider of assertive outreach for people sleeping rough.Natalia came to DCM eight years ago as a social worker, drawn by a job ad that said: if you're ready to roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes for the most marginalised, this job is for you. A year ago, she became chief executive — a role she didn't plan for, but one she stepped into out of deep commitment to an organisation she believes is doing something genuinely different.In this episode, Natalia talks about what assertive outreach really means, why a choice between something and nothing is not a choice at all, and what it takes to build a system that is truly accountable to the people at its centre.We'd like to thank Natalia for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Adam, a tenant and peer support worker at HomeGround, Auckland City Mission's supportive housing development in central Auckland.For much of his life, stable housing felt out of reach. During Covid, Adam was placed in emergency accommodation. When a place at HomeGround came up, he took it — and nearly four years on, he hasn't looked back.In this episode, Adam shares what it means to finally have a place that is yours, for as long as you need it. He talks about the sense of community that HomeGround has given him, what it feels like to have a safe space to heal, and why he believes a stable home is the foundation for everything else in life. And he has a direct message for government about where the money should go.We'd like to thank Adam for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast—wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Jade Kake, architect, housing policy advocate, and writer based in Whangarei.Jade trained in architecture and spent time working with a community housing provider in Australia before returning to Aotearoa. A conversation with family drew her into Te Matapihi and the world of Māori housing policy — and set the course for everything that followed. She has spent the years since analysing policy, advocating directly to central government, and making the case that good design should be accessible to everyone, not only the wealthy.In this episode, Jade reflects on what colonisation means as a housing issue — not as background, but as the active, ongoing condition from which every conversation about Māori homelessness must begin. She talks about papakāinga, the decommodification of housing, and why the design of communities matters as much as the design of individual homes. And she shares her conviction that Māori, Pacific, and community housing providers are stronger together — and what that might actually look like in practice.We'd like to thank Jade for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast—wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

Helen grew up in Wellington, the third of five children, shaped by a family and faith community where caring for others was simply how life was lived. She studied law at Victoria University, spent 15 years at Challenge 2000, worked for Caritas internationally, and arrived at the Auckland City Mission 13 years ago — during the 19th week of a 13-week stand-down, living on a friend's couch in a Queen Street apartment. By the technical definition, she was homeless. By the end of that week, she had been offered a job leading a homeless team. She never left.In this episode, Helen reflects on what the Mission exists to do — be in genuine relationship with people who are suffering, and dare to ask why. She shares how HomeGround came to be, why Housing First changed everything, and what it means to hand someone the key to their first permanent home. And she talks about what New Zealand could be, if it chose to be.We'd like to thank Helen for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast—wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we meet Amanda Kelly, Policy and Practice Manager at Community Housing Aotearoa.Amanda grew up in a small village in the west of Ireland, where community and care for others were simply part of daily life. After studying health promotion at the National University of Ireland, Galway, she arrived in New Zealand in 2007. Her career has taken her from injury prevention and tobacco control advocacy, through seven years at Auckland Council, to CHA, where she has spent the past five years working across homelessness policy, lived experience engagement, and cross-sector collaboration.In this episode, Amanda reflects on what drew her to purpose-driven work, the relationships and values that have shaped her practice, and why she believes housing as a human right is not an idealistic aspiration — but the only framework that makes sense. She also shares what she loves about working in Aotearoa, and why she still calls two places home.We'd like to thank Amanda for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.More information on this episode can be found in the episode description. And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast—wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we speak with Amanda Kelly. Policy and Practice Manager at Community Housing Aotearoa.Amanda brings a background spanning local government, community development, and health promotion—including direct experience supporting Auckland Council's operational response to homelessness. She is an advocate for building the systems and tools that enable better decisions and better outcomes for communities.In this conversation, Amanda reflects on how the homelessness response in Aotearoa has evolved since 2016. From emergency grants and the silence around the word "crisis," to a growing national infrastructure of Housing First collectives, sustaining tenancies programmes, and cross-sector collaboration. We explore what it means to go upstream and address root causes rather than symptoms, the role of lived experience in good policy design, and why collaboration—however hard—is non-negotiable. Amanda also shares her conviction that homelessness in Aotearoa is solvable, and what it will take to get there.We'd like to thank Amanda for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.More information on this episode can be found in the episode description. And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast—wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we speak with Katie Dalton, Director of Cymorth Cymru — the charity representing homelessness and housing support services across Wales.With a career spanning student politics, mental health policy, and housing advocacy, Katie has been at the centre of Wales's homelessness prevention journey for over a decade — including direct involvement in both the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 and the recently passed Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Act 2026.In this conversation, Katie shares how Wales shifted its homelessness system from gatekeeping to genuine prevention, and what a decade of implementation has taught her about what legislation alone cannot achieve. We explore the new 2026 Act — extending the prevention window to six months, abolishing priority need and intentionality tests, and placing Ask and Act duties on health and criminal justice services. Katie also reflects on co-designing law with experts by experience, the Cardiff and Vale Health Inclusion Service as a model of cross-sector partnership, and what any country considering similar reform needs to get right.We'd like to thank Katie for taking the time to speak with us for this episode.More information on this episode can be found in the episode description. And don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast — wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

As sister cities, Aspen and Queenstown share more than scenic beauty; they're both wrestling with what happens when free-market real estate prices workers out of resort towns. Sara Ott, Aspen's city manager at the time of this interview, brings hard-won lessons from a community where the average home costs $13 million, yet mixed-income neighbourhoods thrive.We spoke with Sara about the housing pressures in Aspen and the parallels with the Queenstown Lakes region. In particular we spoke about Inclusionary Zoning and the partnership with developers required to benefit long-term communities through affordable housing initiatives.We'd like to thank Sara for taking his time to speak with us for this episode.Don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast where ever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this CHA Case Study, we explore the Karamū development by Kāinga Maha – a project that showcases how inclusionary zoning and mixed-tenure housing can come together to create more equitable communities. Karamū is notable as one of the first developments in New Zealand to embed these principles at scale, balancing affordable, public, and market housing within a single neighbourhood to ensure diversity and long-term social cohesion.We spoke with Annie Wilson from Kāinga Maha about the thinking behind the Karamū development, the role of inclusionary zoning in enabling it, and what lessons can be drawn for other regions in New Zealand. Annie shared insights on how the project was shaped, the challenges faced along the way, and why inclusionary zoning may hold the key to unlocking more sustainable and inclusive housing solutions nationwide.We'd like to thank Annie and the team at Kāinga Maha for taking his time to speak with us for this episode.Don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast where ever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

From teacher retention to student wellbeing, the housing crisis has become an educational issue in Queenstown, forcing schools to think like developers.Oded Nathan is the principal of Wakatipu High School in Queenstown, New Zealand. Leading a diverse school community of over 1,400 students and 140 staff members, he brings a thoughtful perspective on education, community development, and the challenges facing one of New Zealand's fastest-growing regions. His leadership reflects a deep commitment to student wellbeing and a pragmatic approach to addressing the housing and staffing challenges that impact schools in high-growth tourism centres.In this short interview, Oded discusses the extraordinary students and diverse community at Wakatipu High School, addressing common misconceptions about young people today. He provides candid insights into how Queenstown's housing crisis affects both students and staff, revealing that the school has already spent more on financial support for families in early 2024 than in all of 2023. Oded explores the practical challenges of staff retention and recruitment, with nearly 10 employees commuting from surrounding towns due to housing unaffordability. He also shares the school's proactive strategies for securing staff accommodation, from partnerships with local organisations to exploring land opportunities with developers, whilst reflecting on the broader question of what kind of community Queenstown wants to become.We'd like to thank Oded for talking time for this in-depth conversation. Don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast where ever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

The Overton Shift - How public dialogue can unlock bold political action on housing affordability in New Zealand:In this episode we speak with Emily Irwin, Strategic Housing Planner at the Queenstown Lakes District Council. With a background rooted in community planning and housing policy, Emily brings a strong focus on affordability and inclusion to one of New Zealand’s most dynamic resort regions. Having joined the Council to drive the Joint Housing Action Plan and coordinate across iwi, central government and local partners, she’s shaping how housing density, land-use levers and workforce accommodation strategies are being activated in the district.In our conversation, Emily explores the tension between housing as shelter and housing as investment in New Zealand, arguing that our cultural fixation on property wealth has come at the cost of community function and economic productivity. She makes the case for inclusionary housing mechanisms as a tool to create perpetually affordable homes distributed across diverse neighbourhoods, avoiding the ghettoisation that can result from purely financial approaches. Emily emphasises that housing challenges ripple far beyond those directly affected: teacher and nurse shortages, business turnover costs, and fractured social connections all stem from unaffordable housing. She calls for broader public conversations to shift the Overton window, enabling politicians to act boldly, and challenges the assumption that market supply alone will solve affordability in high-value resort communities like Queenstown, where free-market dynamics can push average house prices into the millions.We'd like to thank Anita for talking time for this in-depth conversation. Don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast where ever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

How Queenstown is leading New Zealand's inclusionary housing movement and why national legislation matters.In this episode we speak with Anita Vanstone, the Strategic Growth Manager at Queenstown Lakes District Council, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping the region's long-term planning and development strategy. With a background in urban planning, community development, and growth management, Anita works at the intersection of housing, infrastructure, and sustainability to ensure that the Queenstown Lakes area grows in a way that supports both residents and the natural environment. Her work focuses on balancing rapid population growth with the district's vision for liveable, inclusive, and well-connected communities, and she collaborates across council teams, government agencies, and the private sector to deliver integrated, evidence-based solutions for the region's future.Anita addresses the district's significant housing affordability challenges, where Queenstown Lakes holds the distinction of being New Zealand's most expensive place to both rent and buy. She outlines how the council employs inclusionary housing mechanisms to secure land and financial contributions from development, working in partnership with the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust and central government to deliver perpetually affordable homes. Through practical examples, Anita demonstrates how strategic value capture can create housing opportunities for key workers, families, and elderly residents who might otherwise be priced out of the community. She makes a compelling case for national inclusionary zoning legislation, drawing on international precedents, and reframes housing as essential community infrastructure that requires collective responsibility. Anita emphasises that without proactive intervention, the district risks losing the teachers, healthcare workers, and service industry professionals who sustain the community's social and economic fabric.We'd like to thank Anita for talking time for this in-depth conversation. Don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast where ever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

Dr Michael Rehm on Auckland's failed experiment and the path forwardDr Michael Rehm is a property academic at the University of Auckland Business School with over 20 years of experience researching New Zealand's housing market. During the formation of Auckland's unitary plan, Michael was engaged by Auckland Council to conduct feasibility studies and Section 32 analysis for proposed inclusionary zoning provisions. His work involved extensive consultation with developers, planners, and market stakeholders to understand the practical implications of requiring affordable housing in new developments. Through this research, Michael developed deep insights into both the technical mechanics of inclusionary housing and the political challenges of implementing market interventions in New Zealand's predominantly market-driven housing system.This conversation examines inclusionary housing as a planning tool to address housing affordability for people who can no longer access affordable housing and homes. Michael explains what went wrong with Auckland's earlier attempt at inclusionary zoning, including how developers exploited loopholes and why the absence of long-term stewards like community housing providers caused the initiative to collapse. The discussion explores critical design elements for successful implementation, including transparency requirements, the role of development contributions as incentives, and the need for regulations that ensure affordable units remain accessible across generations rather than becoming windfall gains for lucky individuals. Michael's analysis reveals that if New Zealand had adopted inclusionary zoning nationally in 2016, the country would now have approximately 20,000 perpetually affordable homes, a portfolio equivalent to the current social housing waitlist, that would continue growing year after year.We'd like to thank Michael for talking time for this in-depth conversation. Don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast where ever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

Dr Patricia Austin on the legal frameworks, planning systems, and housing needs assessments that make inclusionary zoning work.In this episode we speak with Dr Patricia Austin, a leading housing policy expert at the University of Auckland, where her research focuses on affordable housing mechanisms, planning systems, and community development. With extensive international experience studying housing systems across the UK, USA, and New Zealand, she brings a comparative perspective to understanding how different legislative frameworks shape housing outcomes. Dr Austin was instrumental in developing New Zealand's 2007 Affordable Housing Enabling Territorial Authorities Act, and created the housing needs assessment methodology that accompanied it. Her practical expertise bridges academic research with on-the-ground policy implementation, making her a sought-after advisor for local councils navigating complex housing challenges.In this conversation, we explore inclusionary zoning as a mechanism for delivering affordable housing, with particular focus on Dr Austin's pivotal role in the Queenstown Lakes District inclusionary housing project. She explains the fundamental differences between property rights systems in New Zealand versus the UK and USA, and why these differences matter for implementing inclusionary policies. We discuss the critical importance of housing needs assessments, the various retention mechanisms that prevent affordable housing from flipping back to market rates, and why voluntary inclusionary zoning fails under New Zealand's Resource Management Act. Dr Austin also addresses the displacement caused by recent urban renewal programs, arguing that housing is far more than just physical shelter, it encompasses community connections, schools, churches, and family networks that are essential for vulnerable households to thrive.We'd like to thank Patricia for talking time for this in-depth conversation. Don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast where ever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

Joining us for this episode is Professor Laurence Murphy, a leading voice in human geography at University of Auckland’s School of Environment. With a distinguished academic background that includes a PhD in urban economic geography from Trinity College Dublin and lecturing roles at renowned institutions including the London School of Economics, he brings deep insight to the intersection of finance, property and urban change. His current research explores how global capital flows reshape housing, urban governance and built environments, making him one of New Zealand’s foremost scholars on housing affordability, urban policy and the financialisation of cities.We sat down with Larry and discussed the role inclusionary housing and zoning could play in addressing New Zealand’s housing affordability crisis. He explained how planning systems overseas capture land value uplift to fund affordable housing, and why similar mechanisms could work here if backed by political commitment and strong planning frameworks. The conversation explored how market forces have failed to produce affordable housing for the public good, the barriers posed by financialisation and neoliberal economic thinking, and how international models, from the UK’s Section 106 system to U.S. density bonuses, demonstrate practical pathways for reform. Larry also reflected on the need to re-establish housing as social infrastructure, rethink our collective mindset around property as investment, and rebuild public trust in planning as a tool for equitable outcomes.We'd like to thank Larry for talking time for this in-depth conversation. Don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast where ever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we sit down with Talavao Ngata the Pacific Policy Advisor at CHA, Tala's career bridges human rights, public policy, and community housing with a focus on the Pasifika community. Tala has built a career focused on equity, representation, and access — drawing on her lived experience and cultural identity to advocate for fairer outcomes across Aotearoa. Her work combines academic insight with deep community understanding, and a genuine passion for people and place. Our conversation explores Tala’s motivations and the values that drive her, from mentorship and inclusion to the belief that policy must reflect the realities of those it serves. She shares reflections on her career journey, the mentors who shaped her, and the responsibility that comes with creating space for others to thrive. It’s an inspiring discussion about purpose, leadership, and the kind of housing and social policy that can help all communities feel seen and supported.We'd like to thank Tala for taking the time for this conversation with us.Don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast where ever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.

Chris Glaudel is the Deputy Chief Executive of Community Housing Aotearoa, with decades of experience in affordable housing policy and development in both New Zealand and the United States. Before moving to Aotearoa, he worked extensively across California on inclusionary housing and value-capture mechanisms, bringing deep international insight into how planning and housing systems can be designed to deliver lasting affordability and social equity.In this episode we talk with Chris about how inclusionary housing, sometimes called inclusionary zoning, can help New Zealand address its growing housing inequities. He explains the concept in plain terms, discusses lessons from Queenstown Lakes and international examples, and outlines how national guardrails, local flexibility, and long-term community stewardship could enable a fairer, more resilient housing system for future generations.We'd like to thank Chris for taking time to speak with us for this Deep Dive Interview. And, don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast - wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we talk with Annie Wilson, Chief Executive of Kāinga Maha, a community housing developer based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Annie has extensive experience across local government, policy, and housing development, bringing a grounded understanding of what it takes to deliver affordable and inclusive communities. Under her leadership, Kāinga Maha has been pioneering approaches that blend design quality, social outcomes, and long-term community stability — creating neighbourhoods that feel cohesive, welcoming, and enduring.Our conversation explores how Kāinga Maha is advancing mixed blind tenure — developments where affordable, market, and social housing are indistinguishable from one another. Annie explains how this model supports social integration and dignity for all residents, while tackling affordability at scale through partnership-based delivery with iwi, councils, and developers. We discuss inclusionary zoning, innovative funding structures, and the lessons learned from Kāinga Maha’s Christchurch projects that demonstrate what genuine, community-led housing can achieve in Aotearoa.We'd like to thank Annie for taking time to speak with us for this Deep Dive Interview. And, don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast - wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we speak with Claire Dickinson, a leading planning and housing expert at Quod, one of the UK’s most respected consultancy firms specialising in planning, development, and socio-economic strategy. Claire brings extensive experience advising on major regeneration and housing projects across London and the wider UK — helping local authorities, developers, and housing associations navigate complex planning systems to deliver inclusive, sustainable communities. Her work bridges the policy and practical worlds, with particular expertise in affordable housing, viability assessments, and inclusionary zoning models that balance development ambition with social impact. Claire’s deep understanding of how planning tools like Section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), can be leveraged for housing outcomes has made her a trusted voice in shaping urban growth policy and innovative delivery models nationwide.We'd like to thank Claire for taking time to speak with us for this Deep Dive Interview. And, don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast - wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we sit down with Jim Boult, former Mayor of the Queenstown Lakes District and a lifelong resident of the region. Jim has been at the centre of local leadership, navigating the pressures of one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing communities while advocating for solutions to some of its toughest challenges.Our conversation takes a close look at the housing crisis in the Queenstown Lakes District — from affordability and the impact on migrant and seasonal workers, to the strain on infrastructure and the wider implications for regional growth.We dive into policy solutions, including the role of inclusionary zoning as a potential tool to ensure more affordable homes are delivered alongside private development. Jim reflects on what has and hasn’t worked in Queenstown, and what lessons can be applied across New Zealand as other towns and cities face similar pressures.We'd like to thank Jim for taking time to speak with us for this Deep Dive Interview. And, don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast - wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode we talk with Thomas Gibbons, a leading figure with the Waikato Community Lands Trust, where he plays a key role in shaping innovative approaches to community land ownership and affordable housing development. With a background in both law and governance, Thomas brings a wealth of expertise to the challenges of housing in New Zealand.We sat down with Thomas to explore inclusionary housing and zoning, amongst many other topics, and how they can drive new land supply for affordable homes. How leasehold models that halve costs, to shared-equity and community land trusts that hold land in community hands, he outlined practical ways to build a fairer, more secure housing system for the future We'd like to thank Thomas for taking time to speak with us for this episode. More information on this episode can be found in the episode description. And, don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast - wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode, we explore the work of the Waikato Community Lands Trust, and how community land trusts can provide long-term affordable housing solutions. By separating land ownership from the homes built on it, Community Lands Trusts ensure affordability is preserved in perpetuity. The Waikato Community Lands Trust currently manages eight affordable rental units in Hamilton East and is actively looking at new models, including progressive home ownership, to give families stability, connection to community, and a pathway to secure housing.We spoke with May Low, Chair of the Waikato Community Lands Trust and Chief Operating Officer of Kiwi Innovation Network, about how the trust began, the role of partners like Habitat for Humanity, and why inclusionary zoning is critical for scaling this model nationally. May also shared her wider perspective on the barriers to collaboration, the need to put egos aside in the housing sector, and how her background in innovation shapes her vision for housing as the foundation of a better future for families and communities in Aotearoa.We'd like to thank May for taking time to speak with us for this episode. More information on this episode can be found in the episode description. And, don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast - wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode we talk with Harvey Brookes, Executive Director of the Waikato Wellbeing Project. Harvey has spent much of his career working at the intersection of sustainable development, housing, and social wellbeing, helping to connect global frameworks like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to the realities of communities here in the Waikato. With extensive experience across strategy, policy, and regional development, Harvey brings a unique perspective on what it means to create healthier, fairer, and more resilient places to live.We sat down with Harvey and talked about the Waikato Housing Initiative, the challenges of affordability, and how systemic issues like water infrastructure, food insecurity, and housing costs are deeply intertwined. Our conversation explored both the barriers and opportunities for the Waikato to lead the way in a truly place-based approach to wellbeing, and asked the fundamental question: what would it really take to ensure housing is affordable for everyone?We'd like to thank Harvey for taking his time to speak with us for this episode.. More information on this episode can be found in the episode description. And, don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast - wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode we speak with Doctor Mark Davey, the Director of Urban and Spatial Planning, at Hamilton City Council. Mark brings deep experience, leading the city’s land‑use, infrastructure, and climate‑responsive planning strategy.We sat down with Mark and discussed his thoughts on inclusionary housing and value capture. He highlighted the Future Proof partnership, the use of inclusionary zoning in greenfield areas, and the balance councils must strike between enabling development and securing affordable outcomes for the community.We'd like to thank Mark for taking his time to speak with us for this DeepDive Interview. More information on this episode can be found in the description. And, don't forget to subscribe to the Char Hub Podcast - wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode we speak with Bernard Hickey - A leading economic commentator and founder of The Kākā, an independent newsletter focused on New Zealand’s political economy. He champions a bold rethinking of housing policy, finance, and public investment for long-term societal wellbeing.We sat down with Bernard, to unpack why housing lies at the heart of New Zealand’s economic challenges, and what bold policy shifts could help restore hope for future generations.We'd like to thank Bernard for taking his time to speak with us for this Deep Dive Interview. More information on this episode can be found in the description. And, don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast - wherever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

Building for the long termHow long-term thinking can deliver affordable housingIn this CHA DeepDive interview,, we explore how New Zealand's largest industry still operates like a cottage industry, why standardisation could cut building costs in half, and how housing policy connects to social stability. This is about more than bricks and mortar. It's about building the foundation for a more equitable society.New Zealand has the most unaffordable housing market in the OECD. While politicians debate and developers chase profits, Sam Stubbs from Simplicity is quietly proving there's a better way.Simplicity builds apartments that cost 30 to 40 percent less, are 25 percent larger than market standard, and haven't lost a single tenant. The secret? Thinking 100 years ahead instead of chasing short-term returns.We'd like to thank Sam for taking the time to speak with us.For more information visit the CHA Hub at chahub.org.nz.Don’t forget to share and subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast through your favourite podcast platform.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

Heiko Jonkers is a senior leader at Westpac New Zealand, where he plays a key role in shaping the bank’s strategy around sustainable finance, housing affordability, and community engagement. With deep experience in the banking sector and a strong interest in how financial institutions can drive positive social outcomes, Heiko brings a thoughtful and systems-oriented perspective to some of the biggest challenges facing New Zealand today. In this episode, we speak with Heiko about the role banks can play in enabling affordable housing, the evolution of public-private partnerships, and what it will take to build a more equitable future through finance.For more information visit the CHA Hub at chahub.org.nz.Don’t forget to share and subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast through your favourite podcast platform.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

Across Aotearoa, more than 20,000 families are still waiting for a place to call home — despite billions in public spending each year. In this episode, we speak with James Palmer, founder of the Community Housing Funding Agency, about a powerful new approach to affordable housing. By combining KiwiSaver investments, government backing, and community expertise, CHFA is reshaping how we fund and deliver homes — creating a smarter, more sustainable future for housing in New Zealand.For more information visit the CHA Hub at chahub.org.nz.Don’t forget to share and subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast through your favourite podcast platform.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

Charles Waldegrave is a pioneering figure in New Zealand’s housing and social policy landscape, recognised for his decades-long commitment to addressing inequality and driving systemic change. As a psychologist, social policy researcher, Anglican priest, and co-founder of the Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit, Charles has led groundbreaking work on housing deprivation, the living wage, and the relationship between economics and wellbeing. His research has helped shape national conversations, influence government policy, and empower communities through evidence-based advocacy. Respected across sectors, his work combines academic rigour with deep compassion, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of Aotearoa’s most vulnerable.In this CHA DeepDive, Paul Gilberd speaks with Charles about the history of New Zealand housing, the financial and policy landscape, recent policy changes, the introduction of the Community Housing Funding Agency and much more.For more information visit the CHA Hub at chahub.org.nz.Don’t forget to share and subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast through your favourite podcast platform.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.

In this episode we speak with Community Housing Aotearoa CE - Paul Gilberd - About how changes in the financing landscape can help provide more affordable housing - including recent policy announcements and the new Community Housing Funding Agency.Don’t forget to share and subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast through your favourite podcast platform.The CHA Hub Podcast is supported by our Founding Partner: Westpac New Zealand.