Bays Community Housing Trust
Bays Community Housing Trust (BCHT) has found an innovative way to help young people looking for accomodation when they leave foster care.
TrustLine newsletter, March 2011
In a collaborative partnership with the Dingwall Trust, the housing trust will buy a three-bedroom house on Auckland’s North Shore, which will be available to the teenagers as they begin to live independent lives.
With limited incomes, teenagers on the North Shore face some of the country’s highest rental costs. Yet it is important that they remain in the area where they have built up local networks and friendships, as research shows that young people who experience homelessness at a young age are more likely to experience long-term homelessness.
As BCHT has extensive property management experience and Dingwall Trust is an MSD-accredited service provider for young people, the collaboration will ensure the best possible outcomes for young people, helping ensure they have a home.
The Dingwall Trust provides ongoing support, helping the teenagers acquire the skills needed to live independent lives and to connect to the community.
Last year a $210,000 grant from ASB Community Trust helped Bays Community Housing Trust buy a house and get the project started.