HomeFund

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HomeFund was a scheme set up by the New South Wales state government and operated through co-operative housing societies [1] that allowed people who would not otherwise be able to afford a home to take out loans that would allow them to purchase a home. The scheme was especially targeted at public housing tenants. [2]

The scheme was originally set up by the Labor Party government of Neville Wran in the mid-1980s. Problems started to emerge when the then-new Coalition government of Nick Greiner raised public housing rents [3] and started to market more aggressively toward public housing tenants, with some people receiving 30-year loans even though they were already aged into their 70s and 80s. [4] Interest rates for the scheme rose to around 15.9%, which was somewhat consistent with what other home loan lenders were charging at the time but out of reach of most HomeFund borrowers, [5] with in many cases repayments not even covering interest. [3]

As a result of this, the scheme was restructured in 1993 with the appointment of a HomeFund commissioner to deal with complaints [6] and a program to either move loans to commercial lenders or cap interest rates. [7]

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References

  1. "Australian Trade Practices News 472 1999". Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
  2. HomeFund Mortgage Relief Bill – 04/03/1993 – 1R 2R – NSW Parliament Hansard
  3. 1 2 ABC Radio National – The Law Report – Tuesday 27 April 1999
  4. Homefund Borrowers – 15/10/1992 – PRIV – NSW Parliament
  5. HomeFund – 01/04/1998 – QWN – NSW Parliament
  6. HOMEFUND COMMISSIONER ACT 1993
  7. HOMEFUND RESTRUCTURING ACT 1993 – SCHEDULE 1