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A Maori housing advocate is backing a call from a United Nations committee for a national housing strategy to increase the availability of quality affordable housing to low income, Maori and Pasifika families.
Hurimoana Dennis from Mangere’s Te Puea Marae, which is running its own Manaaki Tangata e Rua programme to house the homeless, says Housing Minister Phil Twyford has a massive task to turn around years of neglect.
Mr Twyford has welcomed the UN call and says it fits in with the Kiwibuild plan to build 100,000 affordable houses over ten years for first home buyers.
Mr Dennis says it’s essential there is a specific Maori strategy within that policy, as that’s where much of the need is.
"You have a portion of your community who just aren't cutting it so you have to do more to help them get back on their feet. So far (Phil Twyford) has been good. He's made himself available to talk, the things we have requested have come through his officials, so certainly can’t fault that," he says.
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