Agreement to Support Social Housing Proposal

Tauranga Moana Iwi Entities Sign Agreement to Support Social Housing Proposal

Friday June 10, 2016.

A partnership of Tauranga Moana Iwi Entities has signed an agreement to support a proposal to be the preferred bidder for the purchase and management of the Housing NZ portfolio in Tauranga.

The partnership representing Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ranginui, Ngai Te Rangi Settlement Trust and Te Rūnanga o Ngai Te Rangi Iwi Trust and Ngāti Pukenga Iwi ki Tauranga Trust have signed a MOU supporting a bid by Accessible Properties - a wholly owned subsidiary of IHC, a trusted and long standing provider of social housing in Tauranga.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ranginui Chairman Tawharangi Nuku said access to safe, healthy and affordable housing is a fundamental expectation for all within Aotearoa.

“As Treaty partners it is important iwi are involved in decision making and in supporting processes which look to provide housing solutions to those in need in our communities.

“More than half of social housing tenants in Tauranga are Māori, and therefore it is essential iwi play a part in ensuring any bid provides the means to put in place links between these tenants and their iwi/hapu support — and to offer opportunities for future iwi investment in social housing.”

Ngai Te Rangi Settlement Trust chairman Charlie Tawhiao said Iwi are focused on advancing the cultural, social, economic and environmental interests and aspirations of their people.

“Providing support to our iwi members to ensure better housing outcomes is an increasingly pressing issue for all tribes.”

He said Iwi have a number of concerns with the Government's Social Housing reform in Tauranga.

“The Crown has advanced the programme without due regard for its Treaty partnership with the Tauranga Moana Iwi”. Mr Tawhaio said all those involved in the MOU have a shared vision of improved outcomes for Māori and community members who are social housing tenants in Tauranga.

Ngāti Pukenga Iwi ki Tauranga Trust chairman Mr Rehua Smallman said the partnership members were impressed by the impeccable track record of Accessible Properties.

“The group has many decades of experience in community housing across NZ. They bring strong governance, as well as being a charitable organisation that uses all available surpluses for reinvestment into additional social housing.”

Accessible Properties is one of three entities that has been short-listed to bid, and is the only bidder that can provide integrated ownership and management, as well as being the only bidder that is totally a New Zealand/Aotearoa entity.

The bid follows a Government introduction of a Social Housing Reform Programme that seeks to transfer the management of social housing in Tauranga Moana to a non-government organisation. As a result, the Government has offered for sale almost all of Housing New Zealand's stock in Tauranga to a preferred provider of social housing.

The MoU agreed between the partnership and Accessible Properties provides a comprehensive framework where the parties will add value together to better social housing outcomes. The Iwi partners are looking to grow their capability and capacity in the sector and Accessible Properties has been very supportive of the opportunities the partnership will bring.

The partnership of Tauranga Moana Iwi entities will host Minister Stephen Joyce in Tauranga today as part of the post budget national roadshow. Iwi leaders will raise issues around the importance of social housing at this event, and remind government of the benefits of engaging with its treaty partner on this and other priority issues.

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