Celebrating a big milestone: Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi Housing Development Project

Close up of houses in Kaikohe's Te Kohekohe housing project

Published 21 Jun 24

We’re thrilled to share an important update about the Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi Housing Development project. On May 13, 2024, we officially opened two more stages of the Te Kohekohe housing complex on Tawanui Road in Kaikohe, Te Tai Tokerau.

Te Kohekohe is a huge milestone for communities in the Far North. This project, approved in July 2022, is funded through a ‘Build to Own’ and ‘Direct Leasing’ model with a 25-year term. It’s a joint effort supported by HUD and our MAIHI partnership teams. The development utilises off-site manufacturing based in Auckland to build and transport 36 one-bedroom units, 16 two-bedroom units, and 8 three-bedroom two-storey townhouses to the site.

We celebrated the opening of stages two and three with a dawn ceremony, attended by about 60 people. These recent additions bring us to a total of 47 units on the former Kaikohe RSA site. Once complete, the project will feature 60 units in total, making it the largest community housing project in the Far North and the first in New Zealand to be co-built and co-owned by an iwi and a council organisation. Māori health provider Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi, will also offer tenants wraparound health and social services for whānau and tamariki.

Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi’s Chief Executive, Tia Ashby, shared her pride in the collaboration that brought this project to life. “Providing housing is more than just giving people a place to stay; it has a direct impact on their health and wellbeing. We're proud to be addressing this critical need in our community.”

This is a great example of collaboration and working in partnership with hapu, Te Runanga Ā Iwi o Ngāpuhi group, Far North Housing (developer), HUD Social Housing and MAIHI partnership teams in the Far North.

One of the first families to move into these new homes is Rebecca Hereora and her two youngest children, aged six and seven. Previously, they lived in a self-contained sleepout with no separate bedrooms, privacy, or heating. Now, Rebecca looks forward to cooking a meal in a beautiful home, sitting on the carpet, and saying, “We are home.” Her children are excited to have their own rooms and grow up in a close-knit community.

Watch the opening video on the Far North District Council YouTube(external link)

Image credit: Far North District Council YouTube.