The Habitat Hub is owned and operated by Habitat for Humanity Nelson, the local housing non-profit organisation.
The Hub has a focus on promoting community wellbeing, connected and thriving communities, and is a base for Habitat for Humanity Nelson’s affordable housing initiatives. Manaakitanga (hospitality and caring) and Kotahitanga (unity and collaboration) are central to the activities, services and organisations working in this facility, as is working in partnership with other organisations and community groups in the area.
The Hub, the Nelson community can receive support and access services, such as food parcels, volunteer and training opportunities, financial support and advice, good quality second-hand goods and affordable housing. Furthermore, the Hub acts as a space for community groups to gather to teach classes and hold meetings, promoting connection, inclusion and thriving communities and supporting the capability of our community to succeed through increased skills and knowledge.
The Hub’s foundation is based on partnership and collaboration. Habitat works with a range of like-minded community focused organisations to provide services and programmes to meet the needs of the Nelson community.
Proceeds from the ReStore and nook. Café as well as hire / rental proceeds support Habitat Nelson operations and development projects. Buying a coffee, ordering catering, donating or buying from DIY or ReStore you are supporting these operations.
More about Habitat for Humanity Nelson
Habitat for Humanity Nelson is part of an affiliated Habitat Network working in over 70 countries worldwide towards our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
In pursuit of this vision, Habitat Nelson operates a range of housing programmes aimed at building strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter in the Nelson Tasman region. Our most prominent programme is the Progressive Home Ownership, where families rent-to-buy homes in great location within the region.
Partner families help build or finish their own homes with sweat equity hours and rent from us for five years. After the five years, we basically give them back their net rent so they may use it as the deposit to purchase their home from us. Due to having a good deposit, they are then able to get a mortgage. We also value the houses when they’re completed and set the purchase price at which the family will buy from us in five years’ time.
These families are called “partner” families for a reason: we give something, they give something – it’s a win-win for them and for the whole community. More families feel invested in their own homes when they take part in the housing project. Albeit it is much easier for them to own a home through PHO than through a traditional market route, we believe through participating with us on Habitat projects, they are going to be proud of it, they will cherish it and will build a strong foundation for their whole family.
Stoke partner family.
In addition to building new homes around the Tasman region, we also offer multiple training possibilities, including financial budgeting, house maintenance and other skills.
We are a hand-up, not a hand-out building organisation. We hold partner families’ hands, until we no longer need to. That is the joy of our vision, we teach them how to be independent and self-reliant. We set them up for life!
DONATE
Habitat Nelson is a well-respected local charity which is supported by the revenue from its ReStores, nook. Café, donations, grants and sponsorship to operate its housing programmes.
History of the Habitat Hub
The Habitat Hub was established in November 2020 following the purchase of the Nelson Suburban Club building The premises were updated to accommodate Habitat Nelson’s office, the op shop ReStore, and nook. Café. The vision was to host like-minded community organisations to accommodate and facilitate the help our local community needs.
Habitat Nelson GM, Nick Clarke, saw the sign for lease of the Suburban building and after some negotiation Habitat Nelson was fortunate to have its offer to purchase accepted. As the building was being used as a Covid testing station it was a further six months before the building became the Habitat Hub with thanks to a very skilled volunteer labour force that helped to make the building into the home of Habitat Nelson.
It has been quite a journey from the original ‘tin shed’ and small office space to the current prime location which offers much more than a ReStore donations drop-off and op-shop location. The DIY and house supplies department is able to be expanded and we can offer a true community space.
Although the vision is to help families into decent and affordable homes, homes are just the beginning. Homes are spaces, spaces for families to thrive. The Hub’s space is now a home to many community groups and organisations, home to so many great initiatives that Habitat Nelson is truly proud to be associated with.
Check out this gallery of ReStore / Habitat Nelson’s history
The Need
The Habitat Hub is a one-stop-shop. Donate, purchase anything for your kitchen, wardrobe or start your DIY project for a fraction of the cost buy a coffee and let your children have fun playing in the outside area or get information about volunteering or neighbourhood support at the same address.
The idea is to provide wide range of services that is needed by Nelson, Stoke and wider community by making it more affordable and accessible.
Through connection with the wider not-for-profit sector in Nelson there is a desire to support connectivity and partnership between organisations and agencies in the Nelson region.
Our Values
Our Team
