PĀNUI PĀPĀHO | MEDIA STATEMENT

 Te 5 o Whiringa-ā-rangi 2018 | 5 November 2018

A new papakāinga housing development has opened its doors in Wairarapa for the descendants of Hurunui-o-Rangi Marae, located 10km east of Carterton.

Te Puni Kōkiri Deputy Chief Executive, Regional Partnerships Di Grennell today applauds the completion of new affordable social housing for whānau of Wairarapa.

“I am pleased to acknowledge the completion of the Hurunui-o-Rangi Māori Reservation Trust papakāinga in Wairarapa today. It is developments like these that are fundamental to building thriving communities, and it’s great to have these new homes completed and led by whānau, for whānau,” Di Grennell said.

A total of six homes have been completed allowing whānau to return to their whenua to live in safe, healthy and affordable rental homes. The Trust is also in the process of rebuilding the Marae.

The homes will be managed by Trust House – the only locally registered Community Housing Provider in the Wairarapa.

The Trustees aspire to create an intentional community hub whereby whānau will live on their ancestral land in affordable healthy homes and support their Marae.

Di commends the Trust for recreating what once was a vibrant pā community, acknowledging that this will be one of the first papakāinga in the Wairarapa area for many years.

“Community and whānau development means more than simply building homes. It is linking whānau back to their whenua. It is mokopuna growing up in a supportive environment that embodies Māori values such as whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga.”

The Wairarapa papakāinga is a collaborative effort and includes Te Puni Kōkiri Māori Housing Network investment totalling $1.6 million (about 75 per cent of the total cost of construction) and a Kiwibank Kāinga Whenua loan to the Trust. In addition, Te Puni Kōkiri supported the project feasibility and planning stage of the project with a $80,000 grant.

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Media contact: Nicky Birch 027 762 7293