Business Central | Volume 11 | Issue 5 | October 2026
Written by Kelly Deeks
Toitū Tairāwhiti Housing is preparing to welcome tenants into the first 50 homes of a 150-home affordable housing devel opment in Gisborne, with whānau/families set to begin moving into the Tūranga Tangata Rite Papakāinga Wellbeing Centre in October.
The Ormond Road development was officially opened in September by Housing Minister Chris Bishop, and Minister of Māori Development and Associate Minster of Hous ing Tama Pōtaka, marking the completion of stage one of the $75 million Government-iwi partnership. Tenants will pay 80 percent of the market rental for their homes, providing access to warm, safe, and more affordable housing in a region where rental costs can put significant pressure on whānau. Toitū Tairāwhiti Housing managing direc tor Annette Wehi says the development is intended to create more than a collection of houses, but a vibrant papakāinga (village) with the layout designed to encourage whānau to live close to one another and maintain strong whānau connections. She says that closeness is particularly important for multigenerational families, allowing grandparents, parents, tamariki, and mokopuna to remain part of each other’s daily lives. “Tūranga Tangata Rite will embrace that sense of whanaungatanga, kotahitanga, and collective care which is an important part of what Toitū Tairāwhiti Housing is focused on achieving.
The remaining 100 homes are scheduled to be completed by December, alongside a social supermarket, laundromat, and māra kai vegetable garden. Planning for a kōhanga reo is also currently in progress to complete this village communi ty, giving whānau a place to live and learn te reo Māori, and grow up surrounded by their language and culture. The homes are being manufactured by BuiltSmart in partnership with a number of private local builders at a six-bay Gisborne fa cility established through its joint venture with Toitū Tairāwhiti. Construction crews are using materials supplied from within the region, bringing employment and economic activity into the community alongside the housing.
The project was announced last year as a $75 million Government-iwi partnership, with the Government contributing about $49 million and Toitū Tairāwhiti providing the balance. Toitū Tairāwhiti Housing strategic advisor Kararaina Calcott-Cribb says that investment is important because the project demonstrates how housing delivery can generate wider benefits for Tairāwhiti, with local people and businesses involved in building the homes as well as the finished community. For families moving into the development, the benefits extend beyond the rental price. Secure, quality housing can provide greater stability for children, reduce the uncertainty associated with unsuitable or temporary accommodation, and allow whānau to remain connected to their wider support networks.
The development also recognises that affordability is about more than the cost of a roof over someone’s head. Having access to support, local shops, laundry facilities, food-growing spaces, and early learning within the community can reduce the practical pressures on whānau and make everyday life easier when living in a thriving community. Kararaina says the completed community will bring together housing, employment, ser vices, culture, and family connections in one place, creating an environment where whānau can live and grow together. That collective approach is at the heart of what makes the development special, with the first stage now providing a tangible example of what can be achieved through iwi-led hous ing development. “It’s just a really beautiful thing and we love it,” Kararaina says.