31 July 2026
H l i seniors Helping i to downsize Katikati resident David Marshall, pictured, has been advocating for older homeowners who can’t downsize to smaller houses locally since the issue was discovered before the Covid-19 pandemic. Marshall, Grey Power New Zealand’s new national president, said many elder folk own mortgage-free homes that were larger
than they needed and were difficult to maintain – but they can’t access bridging finance to subdivide, build, or commission a smaller home in their community. Or they simply can’t find a suitable new dwelling to purchase. Now Katikati has been proposed to host a pilot programme aiming to help
older homeowners downsize to smaller, accessible houses in their community. Five senior Katikati homeowners were being sought for the pilot, and Grey Power facilitated a public meeting this week to gauge interest. The pilot would assist these homeowners to downsize to a safe, warm, home
designed for ageing occupants and that were close to their existing social and support networks. If successful, a community housing provider could roll out the model more widely across New Zealand. Read more on page 3. Photo / Kelly O’Hara