New home ownership trials underway to help whānau

“It’s critical that we try other ways of getting more Māori into home ownership. Only 43 per cent of Māori own a home compared to 63 per cent of the general population,” says Michelle Hippolite.

“I am pleased to announce that Te Puni Kōkiri is working with five groups to co-design home ownership trials under the Te Ara Mauwhare initiative. We need to explore innovative ways to get more whānau into their own homes.”

Amongst the rōpū to co-design the trials with Te Puni Kōkiri are: Te Tihi o Ruahine Whānau Ora Alliance in Palmerston North; and Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga in the Hawkes Bay.

Te Tihi o Ruahine Whānau Ora Alliance in Palmerston North are trialling a rent to own arrangement with support through Te Puni Kōkiri capital seed grant funding. Whānau will accumulate sufficient capital to buy their homes outright.

Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga in the Hawkes Bay are trialling a co-housing arrangement, where several whānau could buy a group of homes, and live according to kaupapa Māori with support through Te Puni Kōkiri capital seed grant funding.

Other rōpū announced to co-design home ownership trials with Te Puni Kōkiri were Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust; Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou, and the Chatham Islands Housing Partnership Trust.

The proposed models for all the three iwi groups are based on a shared equity model. This would mean the iwi would leave some capital in the home, supported by a temporary grant from Te Puni Kōkiri while whānau can accumulate enough capital to obtain bank finance and buy the house outright.

“These trials provide us with an opportunity to consider different ways of supporting whānau on a pathway to realise their housing aspirations.”

Te Ara Mauwhare will use $9 million over three years to trial new ways to help low to median income whānau Māori to move towards home ownership.

The Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta launched Te Ara Mauwhare in June this year. The first trial is with He Korowai Trust in Kaitāia who are working with Te Puni Kōkiri to help low-income whānau get on the home ownership ladder.

All of the trials include financial literacy support to help whānau decide whether they are ready for home ownership. This part of the programme will be delivered through Sorted Kāinga Ora – a new collaboration announced by Minister Mahuta this week at the Māori Housing Conference in Tūrangawaewae.