Damage from severe weather events has contributed to a housing shortage in Gisborne, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Damage from severe weather events is part of what has caused Photo: Ben Cowper/Gisborne Herald
A partnership between Ngāti Porou and the government to build dozens of affordable rental homes has started in Gisborne.
This development is a partnership between Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and will see 48 new homes - ranging from one to four bedrooms - built at the Te Mano o Hamo development in Kaiti.
Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka attended a sod-turning ceremony at the site on Thursday.
"Gisborne has suffered from housing underdevelopment and a lack of supply, coupled with damage from severe weather events. There were 487 households on the Housing Register in Gisborne in November 2024 - this equates to the third highest rate of households per 10,000 people throughout the country's districts," Potaka said.
"This partnership will help address the housing shortage and is a great example of how the government can work with iwi to deliver real results for whānau."
Potaka said Gisborne had suffered from housing underdevelopment and a lack of supply, coupled with damage from severe weather events and the partnership was an example of how the government could work with iwi to deliver results for whānau.
Te Mano o Hamo is one of 12 projects located around the country and that is supported by government funding of $82 million with the of aim of building 198 rent-capped homes. Priority locations include Northland, East Coast, Hawke's Bay, Taranaki-Central North Island, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Waikato.
The homes are scheduled for completion by August 2026. All 48 homes will be affordable rentals and their rent will be capped at 80 percent of the market rent in their location.
"The government is deeply committed to making housing more affordable for all New Zealanders together with addressing the housing challenges faced by whānau Māori. This development is just one part of the overall picture of how we are trying to increase the availability of affordable housing," Potaka said.
"Developments like this also support the government's continued good progress to achieve the target of reducing those in emergency housing by 75 percent by 2030."
