Te Mātāwai supported housing development opened today

The 200 public housing customers that will live within Te Mātāwai, along with 50 Kāinga Ora customers living next door, will get access to around-the-clock, on-site support services. They will also have access to shared communal spaces that will provide opportunities to connect with neighbours, helping to foster a sense of community and belonging.

“The public housing homes at Te Mātāwai will provide a stable home to people from many different walks of life, creating a diverse and mixed community,’’ says Kāinga Ora Regional Director Central and East Auckland, John Tubberty.

Outdoor shared space at Te Mātāwai

“It is also a place where a number of people who require a higher level of support to be able to live well, can get a warm, dry and safe place to call home and access to support, when they need it, to help improve their wellbeing.’’

Te Mātāwai will also have 76 homes available for rent for the wider rental market happening as part of a one-off mixed tenure pilot to help create a more diverse and mixed community. Initially the Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) will also lease 21 of these homes to provide housing for those impacted by the Auckland floods.

“What is also extra special is that the first customers moving into Te Mātāwai this week used to live in the old building at Greys Avenue. These customers have chosen to return and it’s great to be able to welcome them back”.

“We also recently invited neighbours to have a look around Te Mātāwai and more than 100 locals came along. We received some very positive feedback on the thoughtful design, support services and community spaces. Neighbours were also united in their support for this innovative approach to housing and wellbeing”, Mr Tubberty said.

“With customers now moving in, our focus is on getting settled in and making this a great place to live for everyone”.

More information about Te Mātāwai

• At the Te Mātāwai complex, there are 3 tower blocks of between 9 and 13 storeys high.
• At the beginning of the project Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei also gifted an overarching narrative for the site which was used as a base to design the building and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei designers also worked alongside the construction design team to input into the design ensuring the design followed Te Aranga design and bought the narrative alive. Read more about the narrative.
• Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei also recently gifted the name of the complex  - Te Mātāwai and gifted the names for the three tower blocks that make up Te Mātāwai - Waitapu, Waiora and Wainui. Read about the dawn blessing for Te Mātāwai
• All 276 homes are built to Homestar 7 standard, meaning they will be warmer, healthier and more energy efficient for customers and their whanau.
• About 60% of the units are also either accessible or universally designed and have been recognised with Lifemark ratings of 3 or 4.
• As well as the common accessibility features such as level access, wide doors and shower rooms, a number of the units have additional features such as benches that are able to be raised and lowered, side opening ovens and lower shelving to allow people in wheelchairs to live independently.