Sustaining Homefullness: Building a Collective Future for Affordable, Regenerative Housing
This special Homefullness Show episode because it is a call for collaboration to keep this show alive and the Homefullness programmes to thrive. It's also about clarity on the transition of Homefullness as a separate entity to Common Ground.
Zola explains why Homefullness and Common Ground focus on “homefullness” rather than homelessness: Supporting affordable, collective, regenerative housing in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.
She shares her background in community development, Habitat for Humanity, community land trusts, ecovillages, natural building, and her own experience struggling to secure quality housing as a migrant and later single mother amid intense rental competition.
She outlines the three current Homefullness projects—Women Revolutionising Housing (hui and peer network), the Homefullness Show (28 episodes on models like land trusts, cohousing, cooperatives, and policy/finance), and a proposed community-focused housing property development course.
To date, this work has been done under Common Ground and has been self-funded since 2019. Zola says she no longer wants to or is able to sustain this purpose-driven work on her own.
She invites supporters to join governance, sponsor/fund, contribute via Patreon, an upcoming PledgeMe campaign, by sharing stories.
There is a a survey for people to indicate their interest to contribute (see link below).
Zola estimates about $18,000 is needed to continue these programmes through June 2027; otherwise, she will pause the mission.
Zola will shift Common Ground to be re-branded as a business offering training-consulting-facilitation to improve collaboration, communication and conflict transformation for businesses, organisations, groups, and families.
Homefullness contribution survey: https://forms.gle/MkzBqaY9ieDFSC9s7
Document to see the details of the Homefullness programmes and budget: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h-cqTSL_xWwv5E5sByV_fEItBACl2LtylWC5Ztc2qsY/edit?usp=sharing
Homefullness is currently at this URL: www.commonground.net.nz
Patreon to be a paid member for as little as a cuppa coffee a month:
patreon.com/commonground_zola
Time stamps
00:49 Why Homefullness Matters
01:51 Housing Models That Inspired Me
04:40 From South Africa To NZ
05:53 Starting Common Ground
06:36 Single Mum Housing Struggle
07:58 Programs Under Homefullness
10:21 Costs And Patreon Reality
11:17 Call For Co Creators
13:41 Funding Plan And Budget
16:47 How You Can Help
18:04 If Funding Falls Short
18:19 Next Chapter For Common Ground
