68 | DEVELOPMENT Tū Mai Rā Investments T T Karen Phelps New homes offer security, stability Each home has been designed with sun and privacy in mind, and the site has been landscaped with 10 on-site car park. “It’s about creating homes where whānau can flourish, where tamariki have the best possible start in life and where people have the security and stability to plan for their future.” A once-quiet corner of Masterton has been transformed into a thriving new community, with the completion of 10 homes at 67 Renall Street marking a milestone for Rangitāne whānau across the Wairarapa. The development, named Te Manawaroa o Kuki Rimene, is the first housing project delivered by Tū Mai Rā in the region. Constructed across three architecturally designed buildings, the papakāinga-style scheme offers a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, with several suitable for residents with mobility needs. Each home has been designed with sun and privacy in mind, and the site has been landscaped with 10 on-site car parks provided for residents and visitors. Developed in partnership with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Rangitāne o Wairarapa, the homes are offered as affordable rentals with rents intentionally set below market levels. The aim is not merely to put roofs over heads, but to ease financial pressure so whānau can save, invest and work towards longer-term housing goals, including homeownership. Tū Mai Rā Investments general manager, Aaron Karena, says the development demonstrates what can be achieved when Rangitāne, government and community work together with a shared purpose. “It’s about creating homes where whānau can flourish, where tamariki have the best possible start in life and where people have the security and stability to plan for their future,” he says. “We are incredibly proud that Te Manawaroa o Kuki Rimene is our first housing development in Wairarapa. We hope it is the first of many developments that demonstrate how Rangitāne can lead innovative housing solutions that are grounded in manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and long-term wellbeing.” He says housing affordability remains one of the country’s most pressing challenges and quality is as important as cost. By providing genuinely affordable homes, Tū Mai Rā hopes to reduce financial stress on families and help build resilience for generations to come. He says the Renall St site was chosen for its proximity to central Masterton, giving residents easy access to schools, healthcare and local amenities while still offering a settled, neighbourly feel. Sustainability and warmth were also central to the design brief. The homes have been built to a high thermal standard, reducing heating costs for tenants and supporting healthier living conditions over the colder Wairarapa winters. Aaron says feedback gathered from whānau during the planning process directly shaped decisions around layout, insulation and accessibility, ensuring the finished homes reflect what the community actually asked for, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The Renall St project is only the beginning of a much wider programme. In Dannevirke, the first stage of Te Pōkohiwi o Tauarohaki is underway on the former Hillcrest School site delivering seven warm, modern rental homes as the foundation for a larger development to come. Tū Mai Rā Investments was established in 2017 to receive and manage assets from Rangitāne’s Treaty of Waitangi settlement with a mandate to sustainably grow those assets so the trust can fulfil its obligations under the Deed of Settlement and realise its long-term vision for its people. “We want our whānau to have the opportunity to live in quality homes while remaining connected to their whakapapa, their whenua and each other,” says Aaron. “That is the vision that sits behind every decision we have made.” Developed in partnership with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Rangitāne o Wairarapa, the homes are offered as affordable rentals set below market levels.
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