What we do

Maori economic development

Intermediate Housing

The affordability of housing has a significant impact on our ability to attract businesses and skilled people to the sub-region. Priority One is part of the SmartGrowth working group that has developed a strategy to encourage more affordable housing options in the ‘intermediate’ price range, which is currently around $300,000 to $400,000 (including the cost of land). One of the opportunities identified is the development of housing solutions that would maximise the potential of Maori land.

Workshops have been held with local iwi, developers, builders, community trusts and financial organisations to identify barriers to the development of housing in the intermediate range. Affordability issues particularly affect Maori land as the land cannot be used as security to raise a mortgage and cannot be sold by the bank to recover its money. Tauranga City Council is now investigating a scheme which could allow house builders on multiple owned Maori land to repay development fees over time instead of in an up-front, lump sum payment.

In addition, Western Bay of Plenty District Council has spearheaded a multiple-housing concept for Maori in the sub-region. The papakainga toolkit – Te Keteparaha Mo Nga Papakainga – was launched in 2008 on Makahae Marae of Tapuika Iwi in Te Puke. The five-step toolkit is a detailed guide for Maori Trusts to prepare, fund and build housing on multiple-owned land without battling the hurdles that have hindered these types of development in the past.