AUCKLAND, New Zealand, June 17 (UPI) -- Citizens in New Zealand who take a new government offer to finance their relocation from its capital city must pay back the money if they change their mind and return, officials said Friday.
The $5,000 grant will be available to prospective social housing residents Monday, and is intended to ease pressure on housing in Auckland. But if residents take the money and move back within a year, they will owe the government five grand.
"For those people who may want to move to cheaper regions where they may have family and other support networks, this grant will remove the cost barrier that may be preventing them from making the move," Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett said.
Residents will also be required to repay the money if they spend it on anything not housing related.
The New Zealand government is so motivated to ease congestion in Auckland that it's even making a couple thousand dollars more available to get settled in residents' new location.
The new grant was announced in January and was subsequently expanded to include transients.
