Preferential Treatment to first home buyers

The Council has made provision for preferential purchasing of Council residential property for first home buyers.

At the meeting on Wednesday (31 January 2024) the Central Otago District Council discussed an issue it had long been grappling with - the problem of affordable housing in the district, while also acknowledging the difficulty for a Council to have any real leverage on the housing market.

Council currently has a policy that requires developments on Council land to provide different sections sizes to enable different housing types (e.g. fully detached semi-detached, and terrace houses). This policy has been amended in line with Council’s decision yesterday, to give first home buyers the first option to buy Council land. It was agreed that a system will be developed to give home buyers first option, and in the event there is more interest than available sections it will be decided by ballot. If there is insufficient interest, sections will be sold on the open market.

Council also heard from the Central Otago Housing group who are working as a collective to understand housing needs in the district and will come back to Council in due course.