Tihei: Kahungunu partners with Crown to build homes for whānau

Kahungunu forging forward to build dry warm homes for our people. Photo / Supplied

Ngāti Kahungunu has entered into a housing investment partnership with the Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga Crown agencies Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga - The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, and Te Puni Kōkiri - The Ministry of Māori Development.

A total of $45.3 million has been granted to Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi to achieve their housing plans to build warm healthy and affordable homes for whānau who need them most.

The binding of the relationship was sealed by the signing of the heads of agreement at the Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga office in Wellington on Thursday, June 2.

In attendance were a contingent from Kahungunu and staff from the Whai Kāinga, Whai Oranga Crown agencies, as well as Minister of Housing Dr Megan Woods and the Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare, Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson, and MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti Minister Meka Whaitiri.

This was the third announcement of four iwi prototypes as part of the Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga Programme Pathway, the other three being Taitokerau, Taranaki and Toitū Tairawhiti.

Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga is the Government's commitment of $730m over four years to accelerate Māori led housing solutions, a combination of investment from the 2021 Budget ($380m) and the Māori Infrastructure Fund ($350m) – the largest investment ever in Māori housing.

"This partnership with Ngāti Kahungunu will see up to 131 more affordable rentals and papakāinga being built throughout the Ngāti Kahungunu rohe, getting whānau into dry warm homes more quickly as well as helping some reconnect with their whenua," Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare said.

"Ngāti Kahungunu was identified through the National Iwi Chairs Forum last year as an iwi ready to partner with the Government to deliver Māori housing in their rohe."

Earlier this year ministers Peeni Henare and Willie Jackson had visited with Kahungunu to learn more about the Ngāti Kahungunu iwi construction company K3 Kahungunu Property. Both ministers were enthralled at the presentations each time.

"K3 Property is not just about building homes but also focuses on pioneering customised training programmes to upskill and grow whānau through apprenticeships and supports Māori ownership by creating business opportunities," Ngahiwi Tomoana said.

This signing took place one week out from the change over from the old to the newly elected Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated Board.

New board chairman Bayden Barber attended the signing and is happy with this initiative to provide homes for our whānau.

"It's important that we continue to walk together as iwi as we go through to the next stages. We have been carefully led to this point through the hard work of soldiers at the helm and I want to make sure they are acknowledged and that we continue to work together," said Willie Te Aho – Toitū Taira.