Hon Te Ururoa Flavell

Te Minita Whakawhanaketanga Māori

Minister for Māori Development

30 September 2016

Benefits of Māori housing effort start to show

Tangible results are starting to show from the Māori Housing Network effort launched just under 12 months ago, says Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell who will be speaking at the National Māori Housing Conference in Tauranga this afternoon.

“Hundreds of homes have been repaired and more affordable homes are being built under this effort and while this alone isn’t going to fix all the housing problems Māori face, it’s a good start.”

The Māori Housing Network is managed by Te Puni Kōkiri and supports Māori housing projects with a focus on improving the quality of housing, particularly through community based repair projects, building the capability and capacity of Māori organisations involved in housing, and increasing the supply of affordable homes.

In its first year, the Māori Housing Network has funded:
· The repair of 243 whānau homes

· The building of 42 affordable housing units

· 32 capability projects

· 11 projects for ground support workers

· 35 papakāinga workshops

· 116 infrastructure projects to allow for the building of new homes

· 5 emergency housing projects

· 7 housing workshops

· 79 whānau to access housing facilitation support

“Māori housing issues are intergenerational and complex so that’s why we are taking a Whānau Ora centred approach for whānau in need.”

While Mr Flavell is not responsible for the Kāinga Whenua, another housing scheme for Māori which comes under Housing New Zealand, he has asked officials for advice on what changes could be made to improve it.

"We want this scheme to work for Māori - we want more Māori living in their own homes on their ancestral land. But we're mindful that changes alone to this scheme may not necessarily produce more houses for Māori as there are other factors at play such as income levels, qualifications and employment of the borrowers."

ENDS

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