Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa board co-chairperson Hagen Tautari. Photo / Tom Eley
Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa board co-chairperson Hagen Tautari. Photo / Tom Eley
A new social housing development has transformed the corner of Hamilton’s Shakespeare Ave and Mardon Rd.
What was known to some locals as part of the “hood” now boasts an intergenerational village with 45 houses supporting first home owners and kaumātua into forever homes.
Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa purchased the9500sq m site in 2014 and, together with developer Pragma Homes, broke ground on the Te Puāwaitanga o Ngā Waka development in November last year.
The development, directed at Māori and Pasifika families, includes 27 homes for whānau with pathways to progressive home ownership, 18 kaumātua units and a community hub.
One of the people moving into a new home is Turei Peeke, who remembers the area as a rangatahi (youth).
“That’s my memory of this place as a community. Now, being able to live here, it’s beautiful.”
He said the road to progressive home ownership was like learning another language.
“I thought it was hard learning English, but this language of finance, booking the lawyers. Talking to home brokers.
“Anxiety.”
Peke credits his kaumātua with helping him overcome the anxiety, as they helped him build “resilience and perseverance for the better of tomorrow”.
Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa chief financial officer Kimo DeCaries said the home ownership model at Te Puāwaitanga o Ngā Waka was “rent to buy”, which means as tenants pay their rents, part of that money goes towards a deposit.
“It enables the finance to save and invest in equity when they’re ready to purchase homes.”
Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa board co-chairperson Hagen Tautari said almost all of the homes have been allocated, and residents will be able to move in once the developers vacate the area.
“This occasion marks the beginning of a new future for our whānau, our community and our great city.”
He said the cost-of-living crisis had placed a burden of responsibility on iwi leaders to ensure a safe and prosperous outcome for their people.
“Fortunately, we have not journeyed alone. Our kaitiaki walked alongside us.
“The celestial bodies have been replaced with successive governments and evolving policies, from birds and wildlife to local council considerations, from ocean swells and wind patterns to inflation and housing affordability.”
Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa and Pragma Homes broke ground in November 2024 on Te Puāwaitanga o Ngā Waka development, a project that will deliver 45 new homes.
Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa chief executive, Andrea Elliott, said over the past five years, Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa has supported over 20,000 people by providing safe and affordable housing.
“Whānau don’t just survive, but as someone said, ‘they thrive and they love’.
“We will be able to build and open at a time when, politically, economically, and culturally, there have been concerted efforts to silence ... It has not been easy.”
She said Te Puāwaitanga o Ngā Waka development was guided by whanaungatanga (relationships), rangatiratanga (autonomy), manaakitanga (support), arohatanga (professional services including courageous conversations), tika (fairness) and pono (truth).
