Local iwi Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and Habitat for Humanity Northern Region have agreed to partner after signing a Memorandum of Agreement.
The parties will work together to support tribal members and other New Zealanders to improve housing outcomes in Auckland. This will include rental and progressive home ownership options across the city.
Ngāi Tai chairperson James Brown says, “It is a great opportunity for Ngāi Tai to broaden our partnership across the housing continuum and help more tribal members get access to affordable, warm, and healthy homes.”
Habitat spokesperson Conrad LaPointe, who has been working in the social housing space for over 10 years, said, “The Ngāi Tai partnership opportunity provides a further example of Habitat partnering with Māori and specifically in Auckland.
“This type of partnership is hugely important as we seek to address housing access and affordability in one of the more challenging housing markets in Aotearoa New Zealand.”
The partnership will immediately work to place tribal members in Homestar 6 certified homes in Pukekohe on the Habitat Progressive Home Ownership programme.
Ngāi Tai are original inhabitants and iwi of Tāmaki Makaurau. The iwi is based in Maraetai, the Waitematā and Tikapa Moana (Hauraki Gulf) and exercises mana whenua and mana moana responsibilities across Tāmaki Makaurau.
Over the past three years Ngāi Tai has worked with Latham Construction to build nearly 200 homes for whānau in Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland.
Habitat for Humanity is focussed on meeting the needs of vulnerable families in Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland and across Aotearoa New Zealand.
