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A Kaikohe group believes it has found an affordable way to address the region's crippling housing shortage.
The Whakaora Recovery Hub was set up in March to support whanau struggling with addiction and homelessness.
Organiser Rhonda Zielinski says that led to the rent to bless scheme, where small portable buildings are placed on Māori land blocks to be gifted to the client once the cost of the building is paid off.
She says it works on the basis of mutual honesty.
"What we find it the minute they know it will be theirs and they actually own something, they really value it. Our whole business principle is based on being tika with each other. We have to cover our operating costs but we are not making money, we don't add any interest, and they just have to be tika and stick to the agreement we have made," Ms Zielinski says.
Clients are referred to a budgeting service to keep them on track.
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