The Ngāti Hine Health Trust is calling for urgent action to address a worsening housing crisis in Te Tai Tokerau, saying official data fails to reflect the reality facing many whānau.
Homelessness remains a pressing issue across the region, with families forced to live in overcrowded homes, temporary shelters, or even cars as housing pressures intensify.
According to the Ngāti Hine Health Trust, 66 whānau are currently on a waitlist for accommodation - a number that continues to rise as the demand for safe, stable housing outpaces supply.
Ruka Gardener is among many individuals facing tough circumstances; he currently lives in his van parked outside his Aunt’s home.
The 45-year-old explains that homelessness impacts him beyond physical health, affecting his well-being in multiple ways.
“There is no privacy, just everything. Depression, stress, but I work through it.”
Struggles within Te Tai Tokerau
Recently, Waitangi hosted the National Māori Housing Conference, bringing together iwi and Māori housing providers to focus on improving housing outcomes for whānau, hapū and iwi.
Ngāti Hine Health Trust CEO Tamati Shepherd-Wipiiti says what’s being seen in official reports doesn’t match the reality in Te Tai Tokerau.
“We’re only one of 12 iwi, we’re quite small actually. So, if we’ve got 66, then that number across the whole of Northland must be enormous,” he says.
According to Ministry of Housing and Urban Development data - which still relies on 2018 figures - 102,123 people are homeless in Aotearoa. Of those, 28.8 percent are Māori, while only 5.5 percent of the total homeless population are recorded as being in Northland.
Shepherd-Wipiiti says the figures clearly understate the current scale of deprivation across Te Tai Tokerau.
Associate Minister for Housing and Minister for Māori Development, Tama Potaka, says he is unaware of the specific statistics relating to Ngāti Hine Health Trust.
“I am unaware of those statistics, and whether or not they are evidence, it’s a stat I’ve just heard. But Ngāti Hine are tied in with Te Pouahi o Te Tai Tokerau, that was given significant funding over the last three or four years to build houses.
“Te Pouahi still has to build all of those houses, but I’d imagine that some of the houses that are built by Te Pouahi are actually lined up for those whānau who are homeless and with severe housing deprivation.”
He says there is progress underway. “We announced support for a hundred houses to be built in Kaikohe - $34 million from the government to support some pūtea from Te Rūnanga o Ngāpuhi, about $16 million - and that development will be over a $50 million development for a hundred houses that will be affordable rentals, for the hard-working people and communities of Kaikohe.”
However, Ngāti Hine Health Trust representatives say the results are not yet visible on the ground. “That’s the reality of it,” says Gardner. “We need houses.”
The community needs help
Ko te aronga matua o ngā ratonga whare o roto i Te Tai Tokerau, ko te whakaū i tētahi mahere, e nui ake ai ngā whare i roto i ngā hapori, me te karanga atu ki te Minita Take Whare, kia nui ake hoki tōna āwhina atu i a rātou.
Hei tā Shepherd-Wipiiti, he nui ngā āputa i tōna iwi e hiahia nuitia ana hei āwhina e te Minita.
“We need help get our whānau into homes, help them to be safe and secure and provide just the basics in life.”
Ka mutu, ko te kī a Gardener, kia kaua e pare atu ngā tāngata kāinga kore ki rahaki.
“Don’t let our people go through this. It’s sad in a way, it’s depressing, it’s stressful, we’re losing a lot of friends like that, our family, because they ain’t got sh** to go to.”
