Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga

Last updated: 29 September 2025 Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga was a four-year, $730 million commitment to speed up the delivery of Māori-led housing. It funded both small-scale Māori housing projects and larger developments, from repairing existing homes to building new ones.

The Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga programme ended in May 2025 making way for the Government’s new flexible funding approach to investment. This new approach aims to improve value for money and increase flexibility to meet housing needs more effectively.

Evaluation report for Whai Kainga Whai Oranga released

The evaluation report looks at how iwi-led prototypes have contributed to meeting housing supply needs in their respective communities.   

The Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga programme ended in May 2025 making way for the Government’s new flexible funding approach to investment. This new approach aims to improve value for money and increase flexibility to meet housing needs more effectively 

Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga evaluation report

About Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga 

Value for money and increase flexibility to meet housing needs more effectively.

Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga provided funding to:  

  • repair whānau Māori-owned homes and improve the quality of existing houses  
  • build more houses for Māori, including new homes on papakāinga 
  • boost skills and resources so organisations can deliver Māori-led housing solutions 
  • deliver new or upgraded enabling infrastructure, for example, transport (including local roading, state highways, public transport infrastructure, footpaths and cycleways), three waters (water supply, wastewater and stormwater) and flood management infrastructure 
  • deliver new or upgraded onsite infrastructure, for example, site remediation, foundations, onsite three waters including septic tanks, and onsite telecommunications infrastructure costs that won't be met by utility companies.   

 

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