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Te Hau Ora O Ngāpuhi, in collaboration with Far North Holdings Limited (FNHL), is proud to announce the opening of Stage 2 and Stage 3 of our joint Te Kohekohe housing development project.
After the successful unveiling of 10 homes last year, we are thrilled to introduce an additional 37 dwellings, marking significant progress in our mission to provide safe, warm, and dry homes for families in need.
The newly opened Stage 2 comprises seven 2-bedroom and four 3-bedroom units, offering comfortable living spaces designed to meet the diverse needs of our community.
Stage 3 of the development, consisting of 26 1-bedroom units, is set to open soon, further expanding the reach of our collective mission.
Stage 4 will provide nine 2-bedroom units and four 3-bedroom units in September, totalling 60 homes upon the project’s completion.
With the tenanting process scheduled to commence on Monday, May 13, we eagerly anticipate welcoming families into their new homes and witnessing the positive impact of this endeavour first-hand.
"We are thrilled to reach this milestone in our partnership with FNHL," Tia Ashby, CEO of Te Hau Ora O Ngāpuhi, said.
"This project represents the culmination of dedicated teamwork and our unwavering commitment to providing dignified housing solutions for our community.
“The success of this endeavour would not have been possible without the collective effort of numerous individuals and organisations.
“Te Hau Ora Ō Ngāpuhi extends our gratitude to all those who have contributed to the realisation of this project, including our dedicated team members, supportive stakeholders, hapu, Te Runanga Ā Iwi o Ngāpuhi group, and generous funders, notably the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.”
The celebration of the new homes also reaffirms Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi and FNHL’s dedication to improving the hau ora outcomes of whānau.
“Through the supply of warm, dry homes for those in need, fostering inclusive communities where every individual and whanau has access to a place they can proudly call home,” Ashby said.
“Together with FNHL and our partners, we remain steadfast in our pursuit of creating a brighter future for all.”
With regards to the development process, FNHL, the Far North District Council’s commercial arm, has been responsible for securing all necessary consents, tendering the work and project management of the civil and construction contracts through to completion.
This is FNHL’s “bread and butter” and removes all construction risk for Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi.
Once all homes are completed, Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi will provide tenancy support services for the families and individuals who are provided accommodation.
FNHL CEO Andy Nock said the more than $20 million project was the biggest investment ever made in community homes in the district and could not have been achieved without the collaboration of its partners.
“Nothing can happen in terms of delivering community homes for our district without working in partnership,” Nock said.
“Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi and FNHL are playing to our respective strengths to deliver not just homes but providing all the necessary support the families and individuals will need in the current economic climate.
“This has been achieved through a strong collaboration between Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi and FNHL working with HUD to secure much needed homes to help address, albeit in a very small way, the chronic shortfall in our district.”
Far North Kōwhai/Deputy Mayor Kelly Stratford said the partnership between FNHL and Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi exemplified the council’s dedication to working closely with iwi, hapū, housing agencies, and developers, to address the housing challenges facing our district and mirroring the successful collaborative approach adopted by other councils.
“I acknowledge the significant alignment between Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi and Far North Holdings Ltd on the community housing project and our evolving housing strategy,” Stratford said.
“This collaborative endeavour, undertaken in partnership with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, exemplifies our commitment to addressing the pressing housing crisis in our district.
“With FNHL jointly owning and constructing 60 homes and with Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi serving as the community housing provider, they are meeting our community's needs while also providing vital wrap-around services for whānau.
“FNHL's invaluable contribution of property development expertise and project coordination underscores our focus on reducing barriers to building new homes.
“With the project's phased completion, they have prioritised timely access to housing for families in need, aligning with our overarching goal of fostering sustainable and inclusive communities.”