As Aotearoa continues to grapple with housing affordability, homelessness and the struggle for whānau to secure safe, stable homes, AUT housing researcher Dr Jack Barrett is exploring how innovative, community-led approaches could help reshape the country’s housing future.
With whakapapa connecting him to both Māori and Pākehā communities, Dr Barrett brings a perspective to housing research that recognises the importance of identity, whenua, community and the different experiences of whānau across Aotearoa.
Through his father, he traces his whakapapa to Ngāpuhi nui tonu, with affiliations to Te Uriroroi, Te Parawhau and Te Mahurehure ki Whatitiri. His maternal ancestry is Pākehā.
His research focuses on innovative approaches to housing and the potential for communities to play a greater role in developing solutions that reflect their own circumstances and aspirations.
Housing Is About More Than Bricks and Mortar
Housing remains one of the most significant social and economic challenges facing Aotearoa.
For many whānau, the issue extends beyond the cost of buying or renting a property. It also involves housing security, overcrowding, access to services and the ability to remain connected to whānau and community.
For Māori, housing can carry additional dimensions involving whakapapa, whenua, intergenerational wellbeing and the ability to maintain cultural connections.
These considerations raise important questions about whether conventional housing policies adequately respond to the different needs of communities.
Dr Barrett’s research interests place community participation and innovation at the centre of that discussion.
Could Māori-Led Housing Provide a Different Pathway?
Māori-led housing approaches, including papakāinga development, provide an important area for exploring alternatives to conventional housing models.
Papakāinga can enable whānau to live closer to ancestral whenua and maintain connections between generations, although developments can face challenges involving finance, infrastructure, planning and access to suitable land.
Community-led approaches also raise broader questions about how housing decisions are made, who participates in those decisions and whether local solutions can be better supported.
Rather than viewing housing solely as a property market issue, these approaches encourage consideration of long-term wellbeing, collective aspirations and the role of communities in shaping development.
Innovation and Community Leadership
As a researcher at Auckland University of Technology, Dr Barrett’s focus on innovative and community-led solutions contributes to wider discussions about the future of housing in New Zealand.
Those discussions include how research, public policy and local knowledge can work together to identify practical responses to housing challenges.
They also highlight the importance of understanding the different experiences of Māori and Pākehā communities, rather than assuming a single housing model will meet everyone’s needs.
With housing affordability and security remaining major concerns for households, the potential role of community leadership is an increasingly important part of the national conversation.
Housing and the Future of Whānau Wellbeing
Access to stable housing has implications for health, education, employment and financial security.
For whānau, a secure home can provide the foundation for children to learn, families to plan for the future and communities to maintain their connections.
Dr Barrett’s research interests raise a fundamental question for policymakers and housing providers: how can communities be given a stronger role in creating housing solutions that meet their needs?
As Aotearoa debates the future of housing, the challenge is not simply how to build more homes, but how to create housing that supports whānau, strengthens communities and delivers lasting wellbeing.
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