The Māori Housing Network is to receive an extra $12.6 million in funding over the next four years.
Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
The additional money means the network, which was launched last year and operated by Te Puni Kōkiri, will have a total $17.6m a year for Maori housing projects.
Minister for Māori Development Te Ururoa Flavell made the announcement in Ngaruawahia this morning, ahead of the government's budget later this month.
Yesterday, the Government announced it would put $41.1m over four years towards emergency housing.
The Māori Housing Network provides money for new homes and housing repairs for whanau and also works to develop the Maori housing sector.
Mr Flavell said Maori were over-represented in housing deprivation statistics and the funding increase would allow the network to help more whanau in need.
He said it was about ensuring whanau had access to safe, secure and healthy homes which in turn improved health and well being.
"We are pushing hard to try and get more and more money in this space.
"You can never have enough for some of the issues that I've seen, but I think it's a wonderful start and I'm really proud of the fact that we've been able to secure the funding for it."
Mr Flavell said it was not difficult to get the extra funding in the budget because the network had proven its worth. Since last October, it had helped build 42 affordable rental homes and was supporting housing repairs for around 165 whanau.
