“Our people face constant housing challenges. They are less likely to own their own homes and more likely to face homelessness than their fellow New Zealanders. It has been this way for far too long.

“Alongside my Māori Ministerial colleagues, we have listened to the ongoing call for more action to address the housing issues our people are facing. Today, we are making significant investments to build more homes across Aotearoa New Zealand. We will partner and invest with iwi in Māori-led housing solutions,” Peeni Henare said.

Budget 2021 will invest $380 million into Māori housing across Aotearoa New Zealand, delivering:

• A range of papakāinga housing, affordable rentals, transitional housing, and owner-occupied housing totaling about 1000 homes.
• Improving the quality of homes for whānau in most need with repairs for 700 Māori-owned houses, led by Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK).
• $30 million towards building future capability for iwi and Māori groups to accelerate housing projects and a range of support services.

This is in addition to the Housing Acceleration Fund that was announced in March to increase the supply of affordable homes. $350 million of that fund will be invested in infrastructure to support Māori and iwi providers to build homes for whānau Māori.  

“This ringfencing of the Housing Acceleration Fund will ensure opportunities to build housing for Māori can get underway faster,” Housing Minister Megan Woods said.

The investment is expected to enable at least 2,700 houses. This is based on an average cost of $100,000 to $130,000 per site.

Today’s announcement will make significant investments to build more homes across Aotearoa New Zealand. The Government will partner and invest with iwi in Māori-led housing solutions.

“This funding enables new ways of working with iwi and Māori partners to increase the scale of Māori housing delivery, including affordable rentals, transitional housing, papakāinga and progressive homeownership solutions,” Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson said.

“Through Budget 2021, we see further investment in papakāinga housing and the Government’s repair and maintenance initiative, which has already delivered much-needed repairs to more than 1,700 whānau-owned homes across the country.

“By improving housing through repairs, the health, employment, and social outcomes also improve for whānau, tamariki and kaumātua – it’s a win-win situation,” Willie Jackson said.

“New supply and repairs are concrete steps towards addressing homelessness for Māori. This investment is a commitment to healthy, secure, and affordable housing that is essential to the wellbeing of Māori and non-Maōri alike,” Associate Minister for Housing Marama Davidson said.

Earlier in the year the National Māori Housing Conference in Heretaunga (Hawkes Bay) provided an opportunity for government, iwi and Māori community leaders, housing providers, architects and builders to discuss new solutions for the Māori housing crisis.

The Secretary for Māori Development, Dave Samuels, and chair of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga, Jamie Tuuta, agree that iwi are key to getting more whānau into warm, dry homes.

 

Secretary for Māori Development, Dave Samuels

Chair of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga, Jamie Tuuta