Government Boosts Māori Housing with $200 Million Investment

Minister Potaka emphasized the Government’s commitment to economic growth and housing security through partnerships with Māori entities.

Whānau across the country will benefit from greater access to affordable homes thanks to an accelerated $200 million Government investment in Māori housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka has announced.

The funding will support the development of 400 affordable rental homes in high-need areas by June 2027, with a focus on improving housing stability for vulnerable Māori communities.

Expanding Affordable Māori Housing

Minister Potaka emphasized the Government’s commitment to economic growth and housing security through partnerships with Māori entities.

“We are firmly focused on enabling economic growth that will improve people’s lives. Our partnerships with Māori entities for affordable housing are key to enabling people to live in warm, stable, and secure homes,” Minister Potaka said.

He highlighted that safe, stable housing can significantly impact whānau and tamariki in terms of health, wellbeing, education, and employment opportunities.

Targeting High-Need Regions

The projects will prioritize high-need regions, including Te Tai Tokerau, Te Tairāwhiti, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, and Waikato. These areas have been identified as having urgent demand for affordable housing solutions.

“This funding marks an important milestone for Māori housing because it has now been actively committed to specific brick-and-mortar projects, allowing construction to begin immediately,” Minister Potaka added.

Recent Government Investments in Māori Housing

The announcement builds upon recent commitments, including:

• $35 million to enable 100 affordable rentals in partnership with Waikato-Tainui (announced in October).
• $82 million for 12 projects with Māori housing providers to build 200 affordable rental homes (announced in November).

With this latest investment, the Government has now committed to delivering a total of 700 affordable homes for Māori communities.

A Holistic Approach to Housing

The Government is also taking broader action to address New Zealand’s housing crisis by:

• Unlocking land for housing within and around cities.
• Investing in infrastructure to support new developments.
• Reducing building costs and simplifying the construction process.
• Expanding the supply of social housing, with thousands of new homes to be delivered by Kāinga Ora and Community Housing Providers over the next few years.

“Supporting Māori organizations to deliver affordable housing will provide whānau with long-term housing solutions and reduce severe housing deprivation, including reliance on emergency housing,” Minister Potaka said.

“This investment is another step forward in ensuring every whānau has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing.”