Minister aims to lift Pacific home ownership

Pacific people seeking affordable, safe, culturally suitable and quality housing will have something to look forward to with the launch of New Zealand’s first housing strategy specific to their needs.

The Fale mo Aiga: Pacific Housing Strategy and Action Plan 2030 was launched in South Auckland yesterday by Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio.

The strategy brings together new and existing initiatives to improve home ownership for Pacific people.

Key priorities are building affordable, quality, healthy, fitfor-purpose homes for Pacific people and strengthening the system to improve housing outcomes for Pacific Aotearoa.

Sio said physical and mental health as well as educational, social and financial outcomes could be enhanced when whānau and individuals lived in the security of their own homes.

Penina Trust chairman Soane Foliaki said building intergenerational homes fit for Pacific people was important.

The trust was the first Pacific social housing provider in New Zealand and was developing five new homes in Papakura, Auckland, specifically for Pacific needs. ‘‘All our new developments are designed to cater for large Pacific families,’’ Foliaki said.