3 minute read
Te Urunga Kāinga
“Owning a whare means so much to me, providing a safe whare for my children where we can continue to make memories and share the love we have for each other.”
Moving into a newly renovated whare in Te Kōhanga Moa, Inglewood, last year fulfilled a lifetime dream for first-time homeowner, Jazinda Komene (Te Atiawa, Taranaki).
A māmā on her own with four children aged 5 to 14, Jazinda has been on permanent ACC since she was 18, unable to work full time. She had almost given up hope of getting a mortgage when Aunty Carol Koha insisted on her calling Ka Uruora.
“My children were my motivation,” she says. “I wanted somewhere they could call home for the rest of their lives. Ka Uruora supported me to make that possible.”
Ka Uruora, established by Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa (Te Kotahitanga) and Te Kāhui o Taranaki, is also supported by four other iwi from Taranaki and works with whānau to achieve financial independence and housing security.
“It’s just amazing what they can do for whānau. I didn’t have much debt. But they helped me have more control of my money by identifying the good and the bad in my spending habits.”
Jazinda has shared ownership with Ka Uruora of a home originally owned and renovated by Te Kotahitanga. Under the scheme, Ka Uruora shares a portion of the purchase cost and ownership until whānau can afford to take on full ownership of their whare.
Te Kotahitanga has so far renovated and sold 10 units and whare, some outright and others through shared ownership. Where Te Atiawa uri did not want to take up opportunities, whānau from other iwi within the Ka Uruora scheme stepped in.
This programme is part of the broader Te Urunga Kāinga – Te Atiawa Housing Programme, with the ambitious target of supporting 500 whānau into homes over the next 10 years. This, through a mix of kaumatua and community rentals, affordable rentals and rent-to-own, shared ownership and market sales.
Jazinda Komene encourages more whānau to get involved, to “believe in themselves and know that anything’s possible.”
Congratulations Karlos Ruakere (Te Atiawa, Taranaki) who has purchased his own home under Ka Uruora’s shared ownership model.
Te Kotahitanga are proud to have obtained and renovated this property for sale to a deserving whānau.
For more information about how Ka Uruora can support your whānau saving and home ownership goals go to kauruora.nz
