This year saw the Government’s largest ever investment in Māori housing says Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing), Peeni Henare and Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson.
“Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga is about achieving greater scale in Māori housing by working alongside iwi, while our work with smaller rōpū Māori continues,” Peeni Henare said.
On top of previous investments made this year, an additional 24 Māori housing projects have been approved which will build over 140 new houses under Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga fund. This will also see the allocation of $15 million to support 242 whānau-owned homes to be repaired.
“We know that in order to get our whānau into safe, affordable housing we need to do things differently, and this year we have begun that work,” said Peeni Henare.
“Seven months since we announced in Budget 2021 that $380 million was secured through the Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga programme, and $350 through the Māori Infrastructure fund –we are seeing many Māori housing projects receive the funding they need in order to live in warm dry homes.
“We have small scale papakāinga projects underway, larger Māori housing developments, and a number of whānau are being supported with infrastructure for whenua Māori so they can build their own homes” Peeni Henare said.
“An example of Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga in action was the three new papakāinga sites blessed in Ngāruawāhia last Friday, marking the start of construction.
“These three rōpū Māori are taking steps to strengthen their whānau and community through their housing aspirations,” Willie Jackson said.
“The Government is committed to the vision that all whānau have safe, healthy, affordable homes with secure tenure across the whole housing continuum.
“We have made great strides this year, but there is plenty more to do,” Peeni Henare said.
Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga is a joint initiative led by Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry for Housing and Urban Development and Te Puni Kōkiri.