Increased funding for Maori housing

Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell is promising $12.6 million will be spent on boosting Maori housing in this year's budget.

The Maori Housing Network is to receive boost over the next four years, helping more whanau to realise their housing aspirations, says Te Ururoa.


Te Ururoa Flavell. File photo.

'Maori are over-represented in housing deprivation statistics and this increase in funding would allow the Network to help more whanau in need.

'The Maori Housing Network is about ensuring whanau have access to safe, secure and healthy homes, which in turn improve their health and wellbeing.”

Launched last year, the Network provides funding for new homes and housing repairs for whanau. It also works to develop the Maori housing sector in areas of high housing need.

Since last October, the Network has helped build 42 affordable rental homes and is supporting housing repairs for around 165 whanau.

It's also funding infrastructure (power, water, sewerage system, roading, gas, and telecommunications) for social and affordable housing and papakainga housing on Maori land for 113 whanau.

More than a third of New Zealanders considered to be severely deprived of housing are Maori.

The new operating funding means the Network, operated by Te Puni Kokiri, will have a total of $17.6 million a year for Maori housing projects.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay and Tauranga MP Simon Bridges both welcomed the $12.6m funding boost to the Maori Housing Network.

The MPs both recognised how big an issue housing is in the Bay of Plenty.

Simon says he supported any sensible measure which helps more people in a targeted way into housing.

'Te Ururoa Flavell is doing a strong job,” says Simon.

Todd says safe, secure and healthy housing is a basic right and the increased funding will help ensure residents have a warm, safe place to call home.

'The Maori Housing Network funding boost comes only a day after Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett announced an extra $41.1m would go towards emergency housing and grants,” says Todd.

'We are taking vital steps forward to ensure our most vulnerable residents get the help they need.”


Break down of funding for 2015-2016. Photo: Supplied.

As of April this year, the housing network has approved funding for 66 projects mostly in the Te Puni Kokiri regions. Waikato-Waiariki had 18 per cent (24) projects approved for the period.

The highest proportion of funding (43 per cent) is going to eleven projects in Te Tai Tokerau. The highest number of projects (24) is in Waikato-Waiariki, however as many of these are smaller projects.

For more information on the Maori Housing Network visit www.tpk.govt.nz.

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1 comment

racism again

Posted on 12-05-2016 09:07 | By Captain Sensible

What about funding for the rest of us second class kiwis...ie us non-maori??


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