The Government is investing $40 million in a partnership with Māori to get more whānau into warm, dry and secure accommodation, Associate Minister for Housing (Māori Housing) Hon Nanaia Mahuta says..

“We are partnering with Māori and iwi to respond to the growing housing crisis in the wake of COVID-19. Since the COVID-19 Alert Levels were put in place we’ve needed to stay home to save lives. For many whānau the security that a home provides was simply lacking, with many sleeping rough, living in overcrowded accommodation or in insecure housing situations.

“Budget 2020 will deliver tailored housing outcomes for Māori on top of the 8,000 extra homes funded in the Budget. The funding will enable iwi and Māori housing providers to create solutions to the housing crisis beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This builds on the $40 million committed over 4 years in Budget 2019 to help more whānau into healthy, affordable and secure homes. It will also support the expansion of the Sorted Kāinga Ora programme, says Minister Mahuta.

“I know there are many iwi and Māori organisations ready and able to deliver housing solutions with some crown support. These initiatives will provide much needed employment in regional areas and drive our economic recovery.

The additional funding will be used to accelerate the supply of quality housing stock for whānau through refurbishment. It will also support the delivery of more affordable housing options and support community based housing projects.

As on Budget day 2020, $570 million will be invested in an extra 8,000 homes, which will be split between approximately 6000 public houses and 2000 transitional houses. The additional housing places will be delivered by Kāinga Ora, Community Housing Providers and transitional housing providers.

Since this Government came to office - between 1 November 2017 and 31 March 2020, the total number of Public Housing places increased by 4,670, of which 3,571 were new builds. And for the same period, the number of Transitional Housing places available for tenanting has increased by 1,374 from 1,718 to 3,092.

“Partnering with our people, applying Māori principles and solutions and drawing on the strengths of all the players across the system will provide us with the best opportunity to deliver better housing for Māori,” says Nanaia Mahuta.

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