The Private Bill will allow ŌCHT to share its proven expertise and deliver much-needed affordable housing solutions to regions with real need, ŌCHT board chairman Darren Evans says

The Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust (ŌCHT) Private Bill is fundamentally about partnership and unlocking a mechanism for collective success. The housing affordability challenge knows no boundaries; it's a critical social issue that demands innovative and effective solutions no matter the affected community.

ŌCHT is a charitable organisation governed by a Trust Deed that’s focus on Christchurch and Banks Peninsula was absolutely right for when the Trust was established. Our Deed has enabled our success, However, this geographical restriction now presents a significant barrier to addressing the wider South Island's housing needs. In essence, a simple rule is preventing us from fully utilising our expertise and resources to help our neighbouring communities. but its clause limiting our work to geographic limits to truly respond to the urgent housing needs of our neighbours, our original geographical boundary now acts as an unnecessary constraint. In essence, an old rule is preventing us from doing the right thing.

This Private Bill is the key to unlocking the next level of collective success. By removing these constraints, the Bill enables us to scale our investment and operating systems, and our people, to higher levels. It allows us to apply our proven, highly efficient model of property development, facilities management, and strong community outcomes across a wider area, sharing these proven systems with the whole South Island community.

We are responding to direct requests from our neighbours—local councils, community organisations, and regional bodies—who recognise the success of the ŌCHT model. This Bill is a direct response to those calls, a recognition that the housing crisis requires a collaborative, region-wide approach.

Our vision, enabled by this Bill, is one of true partnership: local, regional, and central government working together to deliver the greatest success for the most number of houses and tenants in our community. We want to work with central government to take our incredibly efficient model and apply it where it's needed most.

It is absolutely crucial to emphasise that this expansion is done at the same time as looking after our here in Christchurch. By enabling us to scale the investment we've made to date, the Bill allows us to generate greater financial stability and resilience for our home city, enhancing our long-term commitment here. This strategic growth will ensure we continue to be a stronger, more sustainable partner for the Christchurch City Council for generations to come.

The key outcome of this collaborative approach is to deliver more social and affordable housing in New Zealand that translates into better outcomes for the people who live in them. We want our tenants to progress along their housing continuum, enjoy better health, better connection, and truly feel they have a place to belong and grow their future.

The ŌCHT Board is clear: this Bill enables us to do the right thing by our neighbours, reach across our boundaries, and solidify our own future. It’s a strategic partnership between central, local, and regional areas that will deliver the greatest success for our tenants, in Christchurch and throughout the South Island.