Te Āhuru Mōwai, Aotearoa's largest Māori-owned Community Housing Provider (CHP), has announced the delivery of 12 newly built social homes in Western Porirua. The homes were blessed by Ngāti Toa leaders, and officially opened to whānau on Thursday, 3rd October 2024, with Housing Minister Hon Chris Bishop and Hon Tama Potaka in attendance.

Hon Chris Bishop said, “This is everything the government wants to see in new housing developments, it is the community first and foremost, it’s about whānau and the community, and it’s about warm and dry homes, because 4 has become 12, and actually if we're going to do social housing better, and housing better, we want to make more economic use and more efficient use of our land”.

Te Āhuru Mōwai CEO James Te Puni said “This beautiful development is a community driven effort from our team working closely with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Kāinga Ora. Much of the work was done by Ngāti Toa trades and other local trades, and the heart for local whanau really comes through in the quality of these new homes.” Te Āhuru Mōwai’s total housing stock now stands at 969, providing homes to whānau and tamariki in need.

Te Āhuru Mōwai Chairman Tā Matiu Rei stated, “12 more whānau will have homes in Porirua as a result of this mahi, and we look forward to providing many more warm, dry, safe, and beautiful homes in the near future.” The blessing from Ngāti Toa leaders also took place on the 4th anniversary of Te Āhuru Mōwai’s launch, reaffirming the organisation's commitment to fostering a vibrant, thriving community for future generations.

Established in October 2020, Te Āhuru Mōwai operates under a 50-year lease agreement between Ngāti Toa Rangatira and the Crown, encompassing all social homes in the region from Tawa to Paekākāriki (excluding Eastern Porirua). As Aotearoa’s largest Māori-owned Community Housing Provider, Te Āhuru Mōwai is committed to serving whānau of all cultures residing in Ngāti Toa's Rohe through a Kaupapa Māori model. The organisation works closely with local NGOs and the Runanga's Mauriora teams to ensure that tamariki and whānau receive the necessary support to thrive.

Te Āhuru Mōwai envisions transforming the quality of public housing and local communities, with an ambitious plan to develop 2,500 or more mixed-tenure homes in the coming years. This vision includes a variety of housing options, such as public housing, discounted rentals, shared ownership, and private ownership opportunities, all aimed at benefiting local whānau.

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