Resident Nellie Aubrey said many young had forgotten their whakapapa and the community housing project would encourage whanau to rediscover their heritage.
Sitting around the kitchen table in Uruhina Cookson's home, seven residents told the Bay of Plenty Times how the community housing had changed their lives. They said the 20 houses would be equally life-changing for the new residents. They were not bothered by negative comments made by Tauranga developer and former National MP Bob Clarkson, about how it was unfair Maori had been granted $2.6 million for stages two and three of the housing project. They said they land was their own and they had every right to build there.
The Social Housing Fund to be allocated from during the three years (starting last July) to all community housing providers is $104.1 million. From this fund, $13 million is set aside for Maori.
Victoria Kingi, a trustee of Mangatawa Papamoa Blocks Incorporated said: "In context, the funding received by Mangatawa represents only 2.5 per cent of the total social housing fund available to all New Zealanders. Also, Mangatawa is also contributing the land worth $2.5 million to the project at no cost ... we'll be making the most of this fantastic opportunity for our whanau."
Ten modest homes for kuia and kaumatua (elderly) were completed last year in the first stage of the Mangatawa Papamoa papakainga (village settlement) housing project in Te Maunga.
Since moving into one of the units on December 13, 2011, Ebba Te Tua said her quality of life had bloomed and her days were full of camaraderie, friendship and security.
Maybelle McLeod, who works in the Hauora centre at Mangatawa, said the new homes were a blessing as too many Maori struggled to afford accommodation. The group hope the addition of more families to the land will see a growth in community services, such as a shop, a playground and possibly a bus service.