Maori Party welcomes significant boost to Social Housing

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia has greeted the announcement of four new funds as a positive response to the call from tangata whenua to invest in more social and affordable housing.

“The Maori Party has worked with the Government to bring the issues of concern to the table from whanau, hapu and iwi” said Mrs Turia.

“Today’s announcement of increased investment in social housing will be welcomed from tangata whenua who have been working relentlessly to see their families housed in warm and secure homes”.

“I encourage all iwi and Maori organisations with a passion for Maori housing, to put in an application in order to enable whanau to build up their capacity to respond to the desperate housing need of so many of our people”.

“Having a warm place to live, a safe roof to shelter under, is an essential standard of living that we would expect for all New Zealanders. It is simply not acceptable to know that too many Maori are living in substandard, overcrowded and unsafe houses.

This new Social Housing Fund is a step in the right direction – but the Maori Party will continue to call for urgent and comprehensive action to create the homes our whanau need”.

Background

The Government has announced four new funds

* Putea Whakatipu : $22.35m in funding for organizations seeking to build or buy social and/or affordable housing – applications due 27 January 2012

* Putea Maori: $3m in grants specifically for Maori organizations planning to build or buy social and/or affordable - housing applications due 27 January 2012

* Putea Kaupapa Motuhake: $5m in grants to not for profit organizations seeking to build or buy social and/or affordable housing - applications due 5 December 2011

* Putea Taiwhenua: $5m in grants for organisations planning to build or buy social and/or affordable housing in rural areas -. applications due 27 January 2012

Further details available http://www.socialhousingunit.govt.nz

ENDS

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