Supporting Councils to enable
intergenerational and resilient community development

We support local government to enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, communities and to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities (Local Government Act 2002) particularly as it relates to community-led housing, neighbourhoods, and human settlements.

Transitioning from Degenerative to Regenerative Neighbourhoods
From vulnerable and unhealthy to resilient and thriving

Now is the time for change…This means designing more sustainable neighbourhoods, transitioning to greener economy, using new technologies...

Without a commitment to a new way of working, these problems will persist and our ability to tackle current and future challenges will continue to diminish

--Review of the Future of Local Government report (2023)

The Challenges

We help local councils with innovative ways to address their most pressing housing challenges and meet the needs of community members whose housing needs are not acknowledged or met through conventional planning, policy, and commercial housing delivery.

Local governments around the country are under pressure to plan for the development of many more houses but with limited funding and infrastructure. Housing development needs to take into account ambitious emissions reduction targets, future-proofing against climate-related events, provision of water systems, waste minimisation, and roading and transport needs, and more...

Within this, housing issues are exacerbating and, there are members of the community who don't have adequate or affordable housing and who need a diversity of housing options that don't currently exist.  Demographs tend to be young families, retirees, single mothers, ethnic and Māori families, young professionals, empty nesters.

The Opportunities

Many people and groups around the country want to develop housing that aims to be affordable while also being examplary sites of what a neighbourhood can look and function like when it puts people and the environment at the centre.

These housing pioneer groups, who see housing within the context of regenerative community development, are looking to partner with or be supported by councils and other stakeholders to achieve ambitious local targets and positive impact together.

Proactive councils around the country are exploring how they can enable collective and community-led housing models and impact-driven neighbourhoods such as cohousing, agrihoods, ecovillages, cooperative housing, tiny home villages, and community land trusts.

As stated in the Future of Local Government report, people need the opportunity to fully participate in decision-making on policies and issues that affect their futures and future generations.

What we support councils with

As community development experts, we help local councils work in more integrated and collaborative ways, with the knowledge, skills, and processes to address their most pressing housing and community development challenges through a wellbeing lens and with more meaningful citizen engagement. 

Cooperative & Innovative Council Culture 

In order to be able to take a more innovative and experimental approach to community development, we help councils transition mindsets and modes of working to a more innovative and cooperative culture and to be future-focused and prepared. 

Knowledge in community-led & affordable housing

We build knowledge in community-led and affordable housing systems, backed by extensive research and case studies, and help councils understand their role in enabling the success of this “missing middle” sector

Climate-resilient regenerative development

We equip councils to be resourced in regenerative and climate-resilient neighbourhood development methods, including successful alternative forms of infrastructure, land-use, planning policy, and zoning

Engagement/
Public Participation

We build capabilities for meaningful citizen engagement. We help councils plan, design, facilitate, and evaluate engagement activities  informed by the values, methods, and standards of the International Association of Public Participation Australasia

Facilitation of design charrettes 

We help councils create multi-stakeholder design charrettes where place-making design for a project includes a wide range of experience and expertise, resulting in more innovative projects. We can coordinate and facilitate these charrettes.

Wellbeing-based housing strategy

The Future of Local Government report directs councils to use all their existing relationships, infrastructure, assets, and levers to unlock wellbeing (p. 10). We assist councils to translate wellbeing, equity, and diversity into their housing strategy.

Impact investment opportunities

Housing outcomes can be assessed on multiple forms of impact--increasing social, ecological and human capital, not just financial. We find opportunities for councils to make and evaluate impact investment as related to housing.

Unlock funding & resources

For councils to be able to take action and accomplish the goals  as recommendations in the Future of Local Government report, they will need to unlock funding from central government. We help councils make the case for collaboration and funding for mission-focused housing.

Some projects we have assisted

Capability Building:
Whakatāne Community-Led & Regenerative Housing

  • Common Ground was contracted by the Homelessness Prevention Alliance to facilitate two interactive workshops--one technical for the Whakatāne District Council and housing role players and another for the wider community to build capability and network on the topics of community-led housing models, policy reform for tiny homes, and explore regenerative neighbourhood design

Strategy & Engagement:
Raglan Ecovillage Project

  • We assisted the ecovillage project leader and steering group with the project strategy, created alignment with District Council goals, facilitated a community-wide workshop on regenerative development, met with key housing role players to get buy-in and explore funding and financing, and provided coaching to the leader.


Strategy & Research
Waikato Community Land Trust

  • We produced a report on the feasibility of a Community Land Trust as a means of affordable housing for the Waikato region.  We advised the Hamilton City Council to support its establishment.  We networked with housing role players and community stakeholders to get buy-in, helped with the drafting of the trust deed. We coordinated a public participation event, "Connected Living and Affordable Housing," for 200 people which had experts from around the country presenting alternative housing models.


What our clients have to say...

The technical workshop provided an opportunity for people from the different groups to connect and we were able to have some very meaningful discussions, identify some of the barriers to enabling community-led housing and explore some practical solutions. 

It was generally felt that a local housing strategy would help bring focus on the types of housing we need and would give validity to the various collective housing models available, including tiny houses and multigenerational housing.

My observations over the day was that the sessions helped build a common language for when we are talking about community-led housing and Zola did a great job in providing descriptions of the different types of collective housing models and how they fit on the housing spectrum. She also covered different aspects of land tenure with an emphasis on the benefits of Community Land Trusts (CLT) as a way of maintaining housing affordability and security of tenure.

--Karen Summerhays, Senior Community Development Advisor, Whakatāne District Council

“For this daunting task, to shape our way of living and thriving, Zola is amongst the experts we need to build strong and connected communities to create our future in the best way possible”

Anja O'Connor

Upper Clutha Tiny Home Community Facilitator 

 Clients/organisations we have worked/collaborated with

Why choose to work with us

Diverse Stakeholder Engagement Expertise

We have over 25 years experience in community-led and focused development, working with diverse stakeholders such as multi-cultural groups, community organisations, schools, corporates, local government, and the European Union

Whole Systems Approach

We understand that successful systems change requires understanding the interconnectedness of all the elements within a place and building collective capacity.   With design and systems thinking, we develop regenerative solutions to complex problems.

Sustainable & Regenerative Development Expertise

We have over a decade of experience in training and creating permaculture and regenerative systems in urban and rural environments. We partner with experts in various fields to ensure projects have the right technical expertise.

Continuous Learning & Research 

We build into our designs continuous learning and reflection.  We explore new paradigms and ways of doing development that are beyond "business as usual" and that tap into international, local, and indigenous best practice and innovation.

Compassionate Culture

We need more peace in the world so we explore what this looks like in organisational and team culture. We bring skills and practices in compassionate communication (NVC), cooperative culture, diversity-equity-inclusion, intercultural understanding, restorative conflict resolution, and more...

Joyful, Playful, Creative

We do our work with a spirit of joy, optimism, and possibility. We have unique and transformative approaches that include fun, play, creativity, music, imagination, storytelling, dynamic movement, authentic personal connection, and nature-based experiences.

Our latest development guide and housing research reports

We have produced a large amount of content available as it relates to collective and community-led housing, regenerative development, council collaboration, housing policy reform, on the Common Ground website under the Resources tab and we have interviews with leaders and experts in the sector on the Common Ground YouTube channel.

Strategies for Regenerative Housing Community & Property Development

To be future-focused, councils need to be knowledgeable about the trends in regenerative neighbourhood designs and the diversity of housing models that centre people and planet.  This document gives examples of each model, links to successful projects, and how councils can upskill in this field and support community-led and mission-driven housing initiatives.

Enabling Housing for Women & Ethnic Women in Aotearoa

This report provides key insights from research undertaken to identify factors that would enable better, more affordable and culturally appropriate housing for women and particularly ethnic women. It includes many successful housing models and organisations that put women at the centre.  With research showing that for every $1 invested in housing for women, $11 of value is created or saved, this is an opportunity councils should be looking to invest in.


The Case for a Community Land Trust for Hamilton, Waikato & Aotearoa

After writing this report, the Hamilton City Council decided to commit its funding to create perpetually affordable housing by supporting the establishment of the Waikato Community Lands Trust.  Kapiti Coast District Council has followed suit. This comprehensive document gives a clear case to councils to create a CLT for community wealth building, halting gentrification, and stewarding land and housing for generations and how to make it happen.

Next Step

Book a time for us to explore how Common Ground can support your council to enable intergenerational wellbeing and resilient communities through housing & neighbourhood development.  The first meeting will be over Zoom.

We can make a proposal based on your councils' and communities' needs and objectives and we can deliver in person.