Settlement cash drives housing initiatives

The chief executive of Ngati Whatua Orakei’s Whai Rawa commercial arm says financial success is allowing it to improve housing for the tribe’s members.

The value of the hapu’s assets increased 22 percent over the past year to $888 million, and revenue increased 76 percent to $49 million as some of its investment property developments started coming on stream.

Rob Hutchinson says there was also the Kainga Tuatahi papakainga development of 30 houses in Kupe St in a shared equity scheme with members, the building of kaumatua flats, and the refurbishment to a high standard of Orakei properties bought from Housing New Zealand.

"Warm dry houses all fully refurbished that's extremely satisfying as well. So the housing stock of Orakei, while theres never been so much money, time, effort or success in my view, in terms in housing, as there has in the last two or three years," he says.

Rob Hutchinson says since 2013 Whai Rawa has distributed $15.8 million to Ngati Whatua Orakei Trust and its Whai Maia social development arm.

ROB HUTCHINSON INTERVIEW

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