Social Return on Investment

Our latest Social Return on Investment (SROI) report demonstrates the significant value generated by QLCHT’s Secure Home programme - not just for participating households, but for the wider community and local economy.

Prepare by independent economist, Benje Patterson, this report confirms that 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.

Secure Home is more than an affordable housing solution. It's a pathway to long-term stability, financial resilience, and stronger communities, and this evaluation shows the depth and measurable impact of that investment.

Key Highlights

• Strong economic return on investment - for every $1 invested, the programme generates approximately $3.90 in social and economic value, reflecting benefits across households, government, and the wider community.
• $2 million in lifetime social benefit per Secure Home household.
• 69% of total benefits are economic (i.e. outcomes related to improving personal finances and local economic activity), while 31% are broader social benefits (i.e. outcomes related to improving personal and community wellbeing).
• Economic benefits include:
  • Increased budgets for households to meet other living costs through having more affordable housing, which means better financial resilience.
  • More capacity for households to have other investments or retirement savings.
  • Less workforce churn from better worker retention for employers.
  • Increased productive activity in local economy through more secure housing for workers.
  • Reduced moving costs from not having to move.
• Social benefits include:
  • Greater community involvement and volunteering etc.
  • Children more settled in schools instead of regular movement.
  • Better mental health from reduced housing vulnerability.
  • Better physical health from living in a warm and dry home.
  • Improved comfort from a decent, warm, and dry home.
• Homes remain affordable in perpetuity, ensuring ongoing value for future households and protecting the initial public and community investment.

Why it Matters
In a high-cost housing market, Secure Home provides a scalable, financially efficient solution that delivers measurable returns.

The SROI findings confirm that investment in affordable home ownership generates substantial economic value alongside strong social outcomes, making it a highly effective model for addressing housing affordability while strengthening communities.

Full details of the programme can be found here.