Te Pouahi O Te Taitokerau

25/06/2026

‘Proud to see the coverage of our latest milestone - eight new homes delivered for whānau in Waitangi!

Ngā mihi to RNZ and the Northern Advocate for sharing this kaupapa with their readers. It’s heartening to see this mahi recognised, and we’re grateful for the continued interest in the work we’re doing to house whānau.’

It is the first papakāinga housing built on this land in over 50 years.

21/06/2026

PĀNUI PĀPĀHO | MEDIA RELEASE

22 PIPIRI 2026 | 22 JUNE 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Delivered! Eight new homes for whānau in Waitangi

Today, Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau Trust (Te Pouahi), in partnership with Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust, is officially opening eight new whare for whānau in Waitangi, Bay of Islands, marking the first new papakāinga housing development on its whenua in more than 50 years.

Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust is an Ahu Whenua Trust dedicated to fostering community well-being and prosperity. Through its partnership with Te Pouahi, a leading Māori housing organisation in Te Taitokerau, the Trust has helped to successfully deliver long-term housing solutions for Northland whānau.

“We are immensely proud to deliver eight new homes together with Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust, marking a historic return to building on this treasured ancestral whenua after more than 50 years,” says the Kaihautū of Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau, Mr Kris MacDonald.

“Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau exists to unlock housing and opportunities for whānau by removing the barriers to building on whenua. For decades, systemic hurdles such as a lack of papakāinga funding and complex regulations kept our people from building on their own land. These whare provide more than a roof over people's heads; they create a foundation where whānau can build new futures for the next generation.”

Construction of the homes began in October, 2025, with the first house transported to the site in early 2026. The eight new whare will provide warm, modern homes for whānau in Waitangi, prioritising Kaumātua and Kuia. The initiative is designed to provide affordable rental homes while supporting both economic growth and cultural revitalisation.

“Among the drivers of this development was Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust’s recognition that our housing stock is aged, requiring significant ongoing maintenance and healthy homes compliance. As kaitiaki of this land, we are committed to ensuring the whenua can provide not just homes, but stability and belonging for those who need it most,” says Chairman of Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust, Mr George Riley.

"To see these eight whare completed and ready for whānau is a significant milestone. We’re pleased to have supported Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust to turn its housing aspirations into reality and create homes that will restore dignity, stability and a sense of belonging for whānau for years to come,” says Mr MacDonald.

This papakāinga housing development forms part of a growing pipeline of Māori-led housing projects across Te Taitokerau. As demand for housing on whenua Māori continues to increase, initiatives such as this are demonstrating the role that partnerships between trusts, whānau and housing providers can play in delivering lasting housing outcomes for communities.

“This project will have lasting benefits for generations to come. These homes are a reflection of what is possible when whānau, trusts and communities come together with a shared vision and the right support behind them. Ko ō tātou kāinga noho, he mea hanga,” says Mr MacDonald.

Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust highlighted that with the rising of Matariki, the opening of these new whare feels like a time when whānau can come together to reflect on the past, acknowledge the achievements of the present, and reflect on the vision for future generations to come.

ENDS

Media contact

Mikayla Thompson
021 053 0742
[email protected]

04/06/2026

‘Work is starting on 14 new homes in partnership with Kaipara Uri - read the full story in the Northern Advocate’

Six homes will be built in Pōuto and eight in Arapaoa by year’s end.

25/05/2026

PĀNUI PĀPĀHO | MEDIA RELEASE

26 HARATUA 2026 | 26 MAY 2026

Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau partners with Kaipara Uri to house whānau

Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau Trust is delighted to announce its recent partnerships with Kaipara Uri – Pōuto Tōpū A Trust and Arapaoa 1 Māori Reservation Trust – to deliver warm, dry homes for their whānau.

“We are pleased to partner with Pōuto Tōpū A Trust and Arapaoa 1 Māori Reservation Trust. The enduring commitment of both Trusts to their whānau has been evident and aligns with our vision – ‘with our own hands we will build durable homes and communities’,” says the Kaihautū of Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau Trust, Mr Kris MacDonald.

Pōuto Tōpū A Trust is an Ahu Whenua Trust with land holdings situated on the north head of the Kaipara Moana, Pōuto Peninsula. This Trust is the original whānau owners of the whenua, first offered the then-called Tōpū Block for development back in 1933, whereby sheep, beef and dairy farming were administered by the then Department of Māori Affairs.

Since taking back control and administration of the whenua in 1989, Pōuto Tōpū A Trust has worked hard to build its economic base to ensure their whānau can be self-sufficient, given the isolated location of the Pōuto Peninsula.

Arapaoa 1 Māori Reservation Trust is located in the middle of the Kaipara Moana catchment, approximately a kilometre from Waihaua Marae. The Arapaoa 1 Block was once the site of the Arapaoa Māori School. The site was then set aside as a reservation for the Uri of Arapaoa and their descendants.

“With our support, Pōuto Tōpū A Trust will build six new homes, and Arapaoa 1 Māori Reservation Trust will build eight new homes. This continues our strategy of supporting our whānau to successfully build their own homes – ko ō tātou kāinga noho, he mea hanga,” says Mr MacDoanld.

“Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau Trust is proud to support the continued development of the Pōuto and Arapaoa communities within Te Taitokerau. With recent investment in infrastructure, roading, and the Pōuto Wharf upgrade, we want to ensure that as employment opportunities grow, whānau have warm, dry homes to come home to.”

“One of our key priorities is to ensure our investments have an enduring impact for our whānau. We are focused on improving living conditions, reducing overcrowding, and enhancing community wellbeing.”

Construction will commence this month, with a delivery timeframe set for completion by the end of 2026. Pōuto Tōpū A Trust and Arapaoa 1 Māori Reservation Trust have chosen Advance Build as their build supplier.

ENDS

Media contact

Mikayla Thompson
021 053 0742

13/05/2026

A big milestone for Waimā Topū B Trust, with site establishment work beginning on site in Waimā

This project will deliver 12 new homes alongside supporting infrastructure, helping provide warm, modern homes for our whānau. It’s a meaningful step forward for the Trust and haporī, and great to see it getting underway.

A pre-start hui has been held with Far North District Council and project partners to align on the delivery ahead. The Trust and Te Pouahi are working on the infrastructure phase first alongside Far North Roading (roading and infrastructure) with the support of Bay Ecological, Geologix and FNDC (pictured).

We’re excited to see progress on site and will continue to share updates as the project takes shape.

30/04/2026

A short week, but huge achievements for our team 🙌🏽

This week we celebrated some big wins across our housing kaupapa:

🏡 8 whare reached practical completion
🚛 6 whare were moved to site
🚧 Infrastructure works have started, with earthmoving underway on a new 6-build site in the beautiful Waima Valley.

Every milestone brings us closer to supporting more whānau into safe, warm and affordable homes across Te Taitokerau.

Ngā mihi nui to our team, contractors, whānau and partners helping bring this kaupapa to life.

28/04/2026

Exciting progress for our Peihopa-Maui whānau.

Late into the night, our delivery team has been working carefully, manuvering around corners and power lines, to transport the first of six whare for our Peihopa-Maui whānau.

A big mihi to everyone involved in the planning, transport, traffic management and on-site coordination that makes this mahi possible.

We are excited to see the whānau move into their whare.

23/04/2026

We are looking forward to celebrating the opening of this Kāinga Project.

19/03/2026

We're thrilled to share the progress of our Kāinga Project north of Kerikeri, where foundation piles are in place and site infrastructure works are underway. This project will bring 12 new homes to whānau. We're grateful for the trust placed in us by the whānau and acknowledge the collaborative efforts of our partners, Laminata, Top Energy, Kerikeri Contracting, and Fineform Design Ltd. We eagerly anticipate the project's completion and whānau moving into their new homes.