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]

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
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