Town of 800 people with ‘too many jobs’ seeks brand NEW residents

We all know how difficult it is to find a good job, own your own home and provide for your family these days.

Yet, residents of Kaitangata, a small town in the South of New Zealand are reaching out for new residents to live in their town – for a very little price.

With a population of 800 people, local businesses and town authorities are trying to offer people from other parts of New Zealand, home and land-buying packages with extremely favourable terms.

They're hoping that people and families living in the city might be tempted to join the country lifestyle in the Clutha district, which has an estimated 1,000 jobs on offer.

According to Kaitangata's local mayor, Bryan Cadogen, there are "hundreds and hundreds of jobs, real good paying jobs that give a person a chance."

One of the town's leading recruiters, Evan Dick said: "The housing crisis in New Zealand has made the Kiwi dream unattainable for many people, but in Kaitangata, the Kiwi dream is still a reality.

"This is an old-fashioned community, we don't lock our houses, we let kids run free. We have jobs, we have houses, but we don't have people. We want to make this town vibrant again, we are waiting with open arms."

The houses and land packages are going for around NZ$230,000 (€147,000), which is practically unheard of these days.

"When I was unemployed and had a family to feed, Clutha gave me a chance, and now we want to offer that opportunity to other Kiwi families who might be struggling," Mayor Cadogen told The Guardian.

"We have got youth unemployment down to two. Not 2% – just two unemployed young people.

"So many of the things Kiwis value, such as owning your own home and providing for your family, have become an impossible dream. For a lot of people in New Zealand is just an endless slog. And that really saddens me."