Housing Flexi Fund Application
Te Hau Kāinga | Homes for our People
He kupu whakataki | Overview
Safe, warm, and secure housing for our people has been a long standing priority for Muriwhenua Incorporation. Many whānau are living in overcrowded, unhealthy, or insecure housing, while others are unable to return home due to a lack of suitable dwellings.
To help address this need, Muriwhenua Incorporation is currently progressing an application to the Crown’s Housing Flexi Fund to support the delivery of new Māori led housing in Te Hāpua.
He aha te Housing Flexi Fund? | What is the Housing Flexi Fund?
The Housing Flexi Fund is a government funding programme administered by Manatū Wāhanga Whare (Ministry of Housing and Urban Development). It is designed to support housing developments in areas of high housing need, particularly where projects face challenges due to remoteness, infrastructure constraints, or development economics.
For Muriwhenua Incorporation, this fund provides a pathway to unlock housing on ancestral whenua, respond to climate and environmental risk and support Māori led, mana whenua solutions. Muriwhenua Incorporation is in the process of lodging a Stage One application to the Housing Flexi Fund.
The proposed housing site is marked red above on the southern side of Te Hapua Road approximately 2 km from the intersection with Waharua Road. Planning and design work is already underway. Resource consent has been lodged and is progressing. The project is considered “shovel ready”, subject to funding approval.
No funding decision has yet been made. Updates will be shared as the application progresses. It should be noted this is the same site that was previously approved for 20 houses, however that funding and approval was rescinded after the current government came into office. This situation was faced by many other previously successful funded projects on Maori land across the motu.
E hia ngā whare? | How many homes are proposed?
The current application is the first stage of a wider papakāinga vision comprising 20 new homes in Te Hāpua. This staged approach enables immediate delivery while keeping open a longer term pipeline of additional housing as future funding and infrastructure allow.
He aha ngā momo whare? | Housing typologies
The proposed homes have been designed in response to whānau need and local conditions identified in previous surveys. Key features include:
- Single level, standalone homes
- A mix of 2 and 3 bedroom homes, reflecting household size data from Muriwhenua surveys
- Off site manufactured construction to manage:
- cost
- weather exposure
- access constraints in Te Hāpua
- Warm, dry, and durable homes that meet Healthy Homes standards; and
- Simple landscaping to support pride, wellbeing, and connection to place (including fruit trees).
The homes are intended to meet basic housing need first, while supporting dignity and long term liveability.
Mā wai e whakahaere ngā whare? | Tenancy and management approach
If the Flexi Fund application is approved Muriwhenua Incorporation will retain ownership of the homes. A registered Community Housing Provider (CHP) or experienced property management partner will be engaged to assess and place tenants, manage tenancies and ensure compliance with government housing requirements.
Tenancy management will operate under a clear management framework, aligned with both government funding expectations and Muriwhenua values and responsibilities to whānau.This approach balances professional housing management with strong mana whenua oversight.
He aha i Te Hāpua? | Why Te Hāpua?
Te Hāpua is a remote coastal community where housing faces challenges not seen in larger centres. Te Hāpua is also a long standing hau kāinga, culturally significant whenua to Ngāti Kuri iwi and an area facing increasing risk to the effects of climate change particularly sea level rise and coastal storm surge.
Many existing homes are located within flood or tsunami evacuation zones and are not resilient to increased incidences of severe storm and extreme weather events. This project supports a planned, proactive response that enables whānau to remain connected to whenua in safer housing locations.
He aha ngā hua mō te whānau? | Outcomes for whānau and community
If successful, the Housing Flexi Fund project will provide safe, secure homes for up to 60–70 people, improve health, wellbeing and education outcomes, support climate resilience and long term settlement planning and strengthen the social and economic base of Te Hāpua and Muriwhenua. The Committee of Management should know whether its Flexi Fund application is successful by August 2026.
This kaupapa reflects the aspirations of our tīpuna and our responsibility to future generations — kia whai kāinga, kia mau ki te whenua, kia ora ai te whānau.