Rental Assistance Available for Community Groups

Organisations have just three more weeks to get in their applications for the Betty Campbell Accommodation Assistance fund.


The fund is for not-for-profit community groups who promote social wellbeing for Wellington city residents.

Catacombs Chairperson, Dante Christensen, says the fund helps the drop-in centre maintain its city centre location and reach a high proportion of the city's homeless.

"We may have been operating in Wellington for over 40 years, but grants like these remain crucial to our survival as a community group. This fund helped us to relocate to Manners Street a few years ago, and it continues to help us out with rent," he says.

Catacombs provide a comfortable living-room environment seven nights a week, year round for homeless people looking for a place to relax, and also for those with alcohol, drug and mental health problems. Affordable hot drinks and toast, showers and laundry services are also available.

Accommodation assistance grants are generally allocated for periods of three years at a time and can be gradually reduced as some groups gain independence from the fund. The fund is only applicable to groups who require accommodation for at least 30 hours a week.

Grants are allocated twice a year, depending on available funds. The maximum subsidy is limited to 30% of rental, up to $10,000.

The closing date for this round is 31 October 2007.



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