Government agencies and partners are working closer together to provide more Māori Housing through the Te MAIHI o te Whare Māori – the Māori and Iwi Housing Innovation Framework for Action (MAIHI).
MAIHI is a kaupapa Māori approach that drives a system change to give effect and impact on Māori housing outcomes. The approach has been developed with Māori and iwi housing experts and sector leaders, the Associate Minister for Housing (Māori Housing) Hon Nanaia Mahuta said.
“Partnering with Māori and iwi to respond to the housing crisis is an approach support by this Government because we need different interventions to tackle a significant challenge of better housing outcomes.
“We knew when we became Government that there was no easy solution to the decades of housing inequality and insecurity that undermines whānau, hapū and iwi wellbeing.
“Māori and iwi have housing aspirations across the housing continuum – from addressing homelessness, whānau wanting to access healthy, affordable homes through to iwi and rōpū looking to partner development opportunities.
This approach also recognises the needs of people and that’s why there is also a focus on wraparound services and support for whanau.
“We knew we needed deliberate and comprehensive housing and an urban system-wide change to lift whānau and Māori wellbeing. Partnering with Māori, and drawing on the strengths of this approach across the system provides us with the best opportunity to deliver better housing outcomes for our whānau – this is our kaupapa,” says Nanaia Mahuta.
Budget 2020 has invested $40 million towards delivering housing outcomes for Māori through MAIHI.
Funding will be used to accelerate the supply of quality housing stock for whānau through supporting the delivery of more affordable housing options, as well as supporting iwi and Māori providers to strengthen their capability to work directly with whānau and support community based housing projects.
As part of the MAIHI Partnerships Programme we are working with other government agencies (HUD, Kainga Ora -Թվs and Communities, Te Puni Kōkiri and Ministry of Social Development) on housing projects that increase supply, prevents homelessness and improves, tenure security.
“There are many iwi and Māori organisations ready and able to deliver housing solutions with some Government support. These initiatives will provide much needed employment in regional areas and contribute to economic recovery at this time,” says Nanaia Mahuta.
Notes to Editor:
MAIHI is a kaupapa Māori approach to Māori wellbeing through housing.
MAIHI is a framework for action that drives a partnership approach with Māori as central partners. MAIHI applies Māori principles, and supports Government agencies working together more cohesively and drawing on the strengths of all players across the system. This provides the best opportunity, at an accelerated pace, to deliver positive impacts for Māori and communities.
MAIHI drives both urgent responses and longer-term system review and reset actions to address critical gaps for Māori across the housing continuum. Immediate priorities are decreasing homelessness and increasing housing security.
MAIHI considers whānau and kāinga (homes) rather than houses. This means considering the whole needs and aspirations of whānau as we deliver housing solutions – houses, access to jobs and services, cultural wellbeing and place-making.
The foundation of MAIHI is a set of kaupapa Māori principles identified with Māori as particularly applicable to housing. These kaupapa Māori principles sit alongside the values and principles that iwi, hāpu, whānau and kaupapa Māori organisations have at their heart and drive kaupapa Māori approaches that are relevant to Māori and whānau at the core of housing crisis.
Māori Crown partnership is built into MAIHI through the MAIHI Partnership Programme and regular MAIHI Whare Wānanga.
