July 06, 2021
Tamariki on title new housing concept
A far north social entrepreneur wants to trial a new way to give tamariki the security of being in their own homes.
Ricky Houghton says He Korowai Trust’s latest housing development near Kaitaia is well underway, with infrastructure going in thanks to a $1.8 million grant from the Provincial Growth Fund.
Ten of the 24 houses are already refurbished and just waiting for resource consent and the completion of earthworks to be moved on to the site.
He wants to put the homes in trust in the names of tamariki in care.
"The kids are always the innocent victims of mum and dad's behaviour so what it will mean is the kids will actually be able to stay in the house, they won't have to move, they can wake up in their own beds, they can continue to go to their own schools and they can bring in an auntie or uncle to look after them while mum and dad are getting themselves sorted out," Mr Houghton says.
He says a lot of children from the north are living in care outside the region because there is no specialist housing for them.
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