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National | Business

Tauranga Moana launches Housing Conference

Participants at the National Māori Housing Conference in Tauranga will be addressing NZ's housing crisis. The three-day seminar will include international and national speakers as well as Māori trusts paving the way in housing development.

The starting price for owning a house in Tauranga is over a half million dollars. That is a concern they want to address at this national conference.

Victoria Kingi (Nga Potiki, Ngāi Tahu) says, “The issue affordability absolutely there are speaking that will be talking about that kaupapa and we will hear some specific kōrero around that and particular some of the models we see coming through.”

While Māori trusts are exploring other options and home ownership models to address the housing shortage barriers, according to Victoria Kingi, a trustee of Mangatawa Papamoa Blocks Inc, they continue to be at a disadvantage.

King says, “The less linked up agencies are whether they are the local or central government then the more barriers occur.”

Hawaiian Robert Hall, who is speaking at the conference tomorrow, says his country is no different when it comes to housing. There's a high demand for housing but the availability of land is low.

Robert J Hall (Aukai Pacific, Hawai'i) says, “Hawaii in itself is in a severe housing crises and you know living on an island only a limited amount of land and there are over 1.4 million people currently in Hawaii and housing is a direct dilemma for those you know who are unable to afford.”

Minister of Social Housing Paula Bennett is set to make an appearance at the conference tomorrow.