Yesterday, the trust celebrated the completion of its 44-lot subdivision in Shotover Country with an informal gathering attended by trustees - Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay, Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult and former mayor Clive Geddes, council chief executive Mike Theelen and trust executive officer Julie Scott - and the families who now call the subdivision home.
They included Theresa and Dean Swain and their three boys, aged 11, 12 and 16.
Mrs Swain, a ballet teacher, moved to Queenstown in 1992. Her husband, a truck driver for the Salvation Army, moved to the resort two years later.
They had been renting homes ever since, but when their last property - which they'd lived in for 10 years - went on the market last July, they suddenly found themselves facing homelessness. ''We were stuck.
''We're not ones for asking for help, but we threw it out on Facebook, contacted the trust and we had Happiness House behind us.
''We were looking at leaving Queenstown,'' Mrs Swain said.
Fortunately, the trust was able to help and with the first of its Shotover County homes nearing completion, builders and contractors downed tools on other properties to ensure the Swain housewas completed in time for them to move in.
The couple have entered the trust's rent saver programme - they will rent the property for five years while trying to save enough for a deposit and then hope to enter into a shared ownership scheme with the trust, with a view to one day owning the property outright.
''We're just so blessed,'' Mr Swain said.
''We are one of the fortunate ones. As a family, it's given us the security ... to stay in Queenstown.''
Mrs Swain said while they still faced a struggle, they considered themselves lucky.
''I get really upset every day when I hear about people and what they're having to go through.
''We know so many people having to leave ... it breaks my heart.''
Trustee Martin Hawes yesterday thanked all the organisations, including the Central Lakes Trust and the Queenstown Lakes District Council, which had assisted over the years.
The Shotover Country development was its biggest to date and a ''big call'', but had now added to its portfolio of 139 homes across the district.
''The trust has managed to build 44 houses here, but we have a waiting list 10 times that.''
At present, 430 people were on the waiting list, up from 230 about a year ago.
''It just outlines the problems that we do have and the problems are not going to go away easily.
''There's a challenge to do an awful lot more - we can celebrate today, but on Monday morning there's going to be a whole heap more work to be done.''
