An independent local study has confirmed that the Secure Home programme – delivered by the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) – produces a social and economic return of nearly four times its level of investment.
The Social Return on Investment report by economist Benje Patterson shows this assisted home ownership model currently generates an average of $8.3 million in social benefits every year, with total benefits valued at $186.4 million over a 30-year mortgage horizon. The analysis found that – for every $1 invested – Secure Home returns $3.90 in social value, driven largely by economic benefits such as improved workforce stability, increased productivity, and stronger household finances.
QLCHT chief executive Julie Scott says the report is a compelling representation of their continued work in housing affordability and social inclusion in the Queenstown Lakes.
“This report confirms what we see every day on the ground,” she says. “Secure Home is not just changing lives for the families who live in these homes, it is delivering real, measurable economic value for the entire Queenstown Lakes community.”
As of December 2025, the Secure Home programme supported 93 households and 250 residents, including 156 working‑age adults and 91 children, with a 98 per cent employment rate among working‑age residents.
The report shows that around 69 per cent of Secure Home’s total benefits are economic, reflecting the programme’s role in supporting a permanently housed, locally based workforce in a district where housing insecurity and vacant homes undermine productivity.
“Queenstown Lakes depends on a stable workforce, yet too many workers are forced to leave because they cannot secure long‑term housing,” adds Scott. “Secure Home keeps people living and working here, reduces staff turnover for employers, and strengthens the resilience of our local economy.”
The remaining 31 per cent of benefits are social, including improved mental and physical health, more settled schooling for children, increased community involvement, and the wellbeing gains that come from living in a warm, secure home.
A key driver of the programme’s impact is inclusionary housing, where developers provide land to QLCHT at a reduced cost or as a gift. The analysis found that without discounted land, Secure Home’s social return would fall from $3.90 to $2.60 per dollar invested.
“This clearly shows why inclusionary housing matters,” Julie Scott said. “When land costs are reduced, the social and economic return for the community increases dramatically. It is a smart policy that delivers long‑term value well beyond the initial investment.”
Economist Benje Patterson says the report clearly shows that Secure Home is delivering substantial, long‑lasting value not only for participating households, but for the sustainability of the Queenstown Lakes economy as a whole.
“What stands out about the QLCHT’s Secure Home programme is that its return is driven primarily by economic factors, rather than largely intangible social wellbeing gains often associated with community housing,” he says. “In a high-cost housing market like Queenstown Lakes, secure and affordable tenure helps people stay in the district and remain in the local workforce, which reduces churn for employers. At the same time, these lower housing costs give households more room for discretionary spending, as well as savings and wealth creation.”
About the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust
QLCHT is a not-for-profit social enterprise created to manage and deliver affordable housing solutions to those vital to the community who cannot afford it. Initiated by Queenstown Lakes District Council in 2007, which recognised the affordability issue and acted upon it, the Trust is an independent entity operating throughout the Queenstown Lakes District.