Health provider building 60 affordable rentals for Kaikohe families struggling to save for a home

Artist's impression of the affordable housing development planned for Kaikohe's former RSA site, a partnership between Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi and Far North Holdings. Photo / Supplied

Sixty affordable homes will be built in Kaikohe as part of a Māori health provider's plan to ease Northland's dire housing shortage and reduce illness caused by substandard dwellings.

The units are to be built on part of the former Kaikohe RSA site at the top end of Broadway, on land owned by Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi (THOON).

If all goes to plan construction will start this year and residents will start moving in by 2023.

Chief executive Te Ropu Poa said when THOON carried out a health needs assessment to find out what people needed most in Kaikohe, their number-one response was housing.

''People told us they wanted a warm, safe, clean place to live that they could afford, so they could save up and move back to their land,'' she said.

Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi chief executive Te Ropu Poa. Photo / supplied

The units would be a mix of one, two and three bedroom units, set up in different configurations so everyone — the disabled, the elderly, families with small children — could be catered for.

Poa said the aim was to provide short- to medium-term accommodation rather than permanent homes.

THOON's health needs survey had found many people wanted to move back onto family land but lacked money to build even a basic cabin.

High, and rising, rents in Kaikohe meant they had little chance of saving.

In the meantime they were often forced to live in substandard or overcrowded conditions.
The same was true of many people with mental health issues.

''These aren't designed to be permanent homes, but they will be warm, dry, clean and safe. We want people to feel comfortable, that it's their home, while we address their long-term housing needs. It's really exciting,'' Poa said.

Rent would be set at an affordable level so residents could save money for their housing goals.

They would be supported with wrap-around services, including financial literacy training.

''We want to make a difference, so people are actually better off when they move on,'' she said.

Kaikohe’s former RSA building is being converted into the headquarters for Māori health provider Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi, while behind it the former Mid North Motor Inn is being re-roofed by new owners Whānau Ora Community Clinic. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Housing project lead Steven Sanson said the project was a partnership between THOON and council-owned company Far North Holdings (FNH).

Government agencies such as Kainga Ora, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Te Puni Kōkiri, and the Ministry of Social Development were also contributing, through grants or operational funding.

THOON's share of the funding would be just over $10 million.

Ownership would be split with FNH owning the 36 one-bedroom units and THOON owning 16 two-bedroom and eight three-bedroom units. THOON would manage the entire complex.

Long-term, THOON also planned to convert part of the old RSA into a health and social services hub for the residents.

''There are cases around the country where you might have a community hall near community housing, but providing health and other services right next to where people are living, that's a pretty unique proposition.''

Artist's impression of the affordable housing development planned for Kaikohe's former RSA site, a partnership between Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi and Far North Holdings. Photo / Supplied

Sanson said the 10 two-storey buildings would manufactured in Auckland then ''pepper-potted'' across what used to be the RSA parking lot.

That meant construction and earthworks could take place at the same time. Consent applications had been lodged with the Far North District Council.

Another innovative feature of the project was the partnership between a Māori health provider and a council-owned commercial investor.

''We're really good at helping whānau and providing services but becoming a property developer is a whole other level. It's a chance to learn from Far North Holdings and helps us in our future aspirations as a community housing provider.''

With so many health issues linked to poor housing — such as rheumatic fever and respiratory illnesses — it was also a chance for THOON to move into prevention, instead of being the ambulance at bottom of the cliff, Sanson said.

Artist's impression of the affordable housing development planned for Kaikohe's former RSA site, a partnership between Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi and Far North Holdings. Photo / Supplied

As well as providing warm, dry homes, Poa said THOON also aimed to create skills and employment for Mid North youth.

Twenty-eight young people had applied for cadetship roles in the project through an online recruiting event in December.

Meanwhile, in a separate project on the same site, THOON is converting the former RSA building into its new headquarters.

Poa said the organisation was currently spread over three sites on Broadway, some of which it owned while others were leased.

Having all staff on one freehold-owned site would increase efficiency and reduce costs.
THOON had previously used the RSA buildings as a food distribution hub during the 2020 lockdown and as a drive-though vaccination and Covid testing centre.

The former Kaikohe RSA buildings and land totalling just under 1.5ha were sold to THOON in March 2020. The old soldiers' club closed down in 2019 due to dwindling membership and rising costs.

The former Mid North Motor Inn, next door to the former RSA, is being re-roofed by new owners Whānau Ora Community Clinic. The building continues to be used for emergency housing but once the upgrade is complete it will also house medical clinics. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Meanwhile, in another major project on upper Broadway, the former Mid North Motor Inn is being revamped and re-roofed by new owners Whānau Ora Community Clinic.

Chief executive George Ngatai said the organisation bought the building in a mortgagee sale in 2020. It was now investing $150,000 in a new roof to ensure the building was watertight ahead of winter.

Eleven of the 17 motel rooms continued to be used by another provider for emergency housing, while Whānau Ora Community Clinic had upgraded the six remaining rooms for use by visiting medical staff.

It was also setting up a medical centre in the building plus consultation rooms for use by other health professionals such as a physiotherapist and a podiatrist.

Whānau Ora Community Clinic is a South Auckland-based health provider which also has the contract to provide medical services in the Whangaroa area from the former Kāeo Hospital site.