Iwi Funded Housing Model

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In the midst of a housing crisis, a home in Paekākāriki stood empty for three and a half years. Once full of life and light, Paekākāriki’s resident council worker lived here for 28 years with his family. Upon reaching retirement he finished up work and moved a little further north. The job that came with the house was disestablished and the house deemed surplus to the Kāpiti Coast District Council (KCDC)’s need. Plans were afoot to put the property on the open market. Paekākāriki Housing Trust sensed an opportunity and approached KCDC to discuss different options for its future. And so the conversation began. And so the conversation continued, year after year. But in June 2021, through tenacity and good will, the Paekākāriki Housing Trust have succeeded in co-creating a social housing rental property in the village.

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Following initial discussions in 2018 Te Miti was offered to the Trust at market value from the Kāpiti Coast District Council. Although this was a positive step, number-crunching showed this option was at odds the Housing Trust’s model -- the rent would be unaffordable and hence at conflict with its kaupapa. How else could this be realised? Could the newly elected councillors around the table create a different outcome? Could a gift from the council be considered?

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Discussions continued and were long and sometimes circuitous — but resulted in KCDC delaying to put the property on the open market to enable the Trust to explore other options. Other partners? A social housing model was needed.

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The Trust began talks with local iwi Ngāti Toa Rangatira. An agreement was reached for Ngāti Toa to loan the money to the Trust and settlement came in June 2021. The Trust then entered a lease agreement with Te Āhuru Mōwai — Ngāti Toa’s community housing provider. The house was sold to the Trust at it’s earlier market value, but Te Āhuru Mōwai were able to access a government income-related rent subsidy. The first tenant is a local whānau who have been homeless for some time with an agreement for future tenants to be local whānau (provided they are on the emergency housing list).

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Project Te Miti is a tale of tenacity and creative problem-solving. It took patience (from all parties), it took determination. A case of holding the end goal in sight and trusting that the road towards it would evolve as it needed. And what a road it has turned out to be – along the way relationships have slowly and carefully been built, involving council, community, hapu (Ngāti Haumia ki Paekākāriki) and iwi — relationships that will stand the Trust in good stead as the village continues to grow.

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From this project the Trust has learnt that the role of facilitator is a powerful and important one and is now exploring how it might further help facilitate positive housing outcomes. True indeed, a community does not happen by accident but with perseverance, patience, determination and a huge dose of kindness.

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The Trust would like to take this opportunity to extend heartfelt thanks to Ngāti Toa Rangatira for providing finance, and to the Kāpiti Coast District Council for their generosity.

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You can read an article on Paekakariki.nz here.

 

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