Established in 2016 by three Waiheke community members who understood the housing crisis that Waiheke Island found itself in. Rising prices with no opportunities for young families to secure long-term affordable rental accommodation and stem the exodus from the Island by its most valuable residents.

Armed with determination and the realisation to make a difference for Waiheke families.  The Waiheke Community Housing Trust formed as a proactive group to take steps towards solving the housing needs on Waiheke.

Aim: To build up a portfolio of land and housing owned by the Waiheke community.
Target Groups: Young families and people 55+.

These trustees were head-hunted within the community for their expertise in the areas of community, accountancy, legal advice and housing development.  They make the decisions on the buying and selling of properties, and the legal requirements, planning, and building consents processes.

Paul Carew
Chairman

Paul is an experienced property project manager – now semi retired. His experience is in managing construction and alteration projects for owners of commercial and institutional properties. He has been resident on Waiheke since 2000, initially part time and fulltime since 2012. As chair of the WCHT his role is to coordinate the efforts of the trustees, advisors and volunteers to achieve the Trust’s aims.

Lindsay Jeffs
Treasurer

Lindsay is based on Waiheke Island, New Zealand. He lectures in the Unitec Graduate Diploma in Not-for- Profit Management specialising in financial management and community funding and entrepreneurship and runs courses for the Social Enterprise Institute on capacity building for not-for-profit organisations creating social enterprises.

He is the past Manager of the Christchurch Small Business Enterprise Centre (a not-for-profit organisation delivering services to disadvantaged individuals entering into employment or self-employment) and the Canterbury Community Business Trust (a community-owned business enterprise which promotes the development of social enterprises and operates a driving school).

He holds several governance positions including Trustee of Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust, North Shore Living Without Violence Trust, Canterbury Community Business Trust, New Zealand Community Economic Development Trust, the GreenBag NZ Foundation and LJ Associates Ltd.

As a result of his work in the local, national and international not-for- profit communities he received the Community Employment Group’s Community Champion Award (2000), the Social Entrepreneur Award (2003) and the Orangi Kaupapa Trust’s Community Champion Award (2010).

Wendy Baverstock

Wendy has a Masters degree in Resource and Environment Planning from Massey University and is a full member of the NZ Planning Institute. Wendy has a wide range of experience in all types of land development activities in the Hauraki Gulf Islands. Her focus is on dwelling construction (residential and rural-residential), visitor accommodation, commercial and tourism-focused development, as well as subdivisions, infrastructure and engineering projects within the Gulf Islands.

Michael Maahs

Michael has resided on Waiheke Island since 2010. Originally from Detroit Michigan USA, Michael spent a number of years in the states gaining a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and working for state government before settling on Waiheke. While in New Zealand Michael also attended the University of Auckland and graduated with a Master in planning practice with an emphasis on sustainability.

Michael’s specialisation is in not-for-profit organisations and has worked in this sector in Auckland since 2010, as the national project manager at the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand and now as the manager at the Waiheke Resources Trust. 

Michael lives with his family on the island and practices and supports sustainable initiatives on Waiheke. Having rented for years on Waiheke, built a tiny home himself, and then a home of his own in Onetangi, Michael is keenly aware of the housing challenges on Waiheke

James Davies

James is a Waiheke based commercial solicitor originally from Christchurch.  He's been practising since 1999.   Since arriving on the Island, has renovated 2 old Waiheke properties.

General Enquiries.

Contact our team by submitting this general enquiries form.