| 43 Te Nehenehenui Trust REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT T T Sue Russell Trust keeping busy in the King Country Te Nehenehenui staff member and Waitomo District Councillor, Isaiah Wallace, left, and Sam Mikaere Group Chief Executive of Te Nehenehenui Trust. The trust operates across a significant geography, with ancestral land covering an area called Te Rohe Pōtae, stretching from the west coast harbours of Kāwhia down to Mōkau, and inland to Taumarunui. Sam Mikaere has been CEO for Te Nehenehenui Trust these past four years and is revelling in the challenges and opportunities the role provides. Based in Te Kūiti, in the heart of the King Country, Sam says the role covers a diverse array of activities. “One of my most important things is looking after our people through solid communication, ensuring iwi members are kept up to date. Te Nehenehenui Trust operates across a significant geography, with ancestral land covering an area called Te Rohe Pōtae (the King Country), stretching from the west coast harbours of Kāwhia down to Mōkau, and inland to Taumarunui, with Te Kūiti sitting central within the Waikato and Waitomo regions. “We represent and work for 56,000 members who identify as belonging to Ngāti Maniapoto. The role of this Trust is to extend across the social, economic/financial, charitable distribution and development activities so no two days are the same.” One project very much at the heart of the matter for Sam and others working in the development space is an ambitious housing project, named Te Kirikiri, located on land purchased from Council. “We actually started talking about an overarching strategy late November 2022 and by the end of March 2023 we confirmed it for our people. One part of that was to see them into good quality homes. Once this was in our mind, we set about working towards how we could go from strategy to reality.” Underpinning the success and moving forward on the project, Sam says, is a positive relationship with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MHUD). “The intention always was about building homes, creating futures and this project will see 40 homes constructed to give our people stability. From secure housing, come better educational outcomes for our tamariki and rangatahi, as well as work opportunities. It all connects to housing.” Sam says the project has been going very well, with Schick Construction undertaking the major mahi, with earthworks underway. “We ran a process with several different contracting companies for the housing build, applying a series of different metrics, including ability to work, quality of builds, quality of communication with us and we selected Sentinal Homes to the build. We’re actually running ahead of schedule and will soon begin building our first homes.” Te Kirikiri community will one day be home to 20 two-bedroom, 8 three-bedroom and 12 four-bedroom homes on a 3.4ha site. These will be offered to families at up to 80% of the local rental market value. “Affordability is key to access and was always a priority for us. We’re currently exploring solar heating and we’re very excited as this project beds down.” Accessibility requirements are also being taken up in the homes’ designs with wider doors to enable all residents to move easily inside their homes. “There will be a criteria we follow and our over-arching theme is we want to look for those people looking for stability who meet the criteria.” Sam says by calling people to Te Kirikiri who want to be part of the community the $28million precinct will become an amazing place. “We’re really thrilled with how well all the elements to its development have come together. “We received real support from Tika Group, a provider of independent project management and advisory services. They helped us manage all the contracts.” The name Te Kirikiri was gifted by local hapū Ngāti Rōrā. The name ‘Te Kirikiri’ has been gifted by the local hapū, Ngāti Rōrā, and carries the original name of the whenua, recognising the connection and history of those who once lived in the area. “Affordability is key to access and was always a priority for us. We’re currently exploring solar heating and we’re very excited as this project beds down.”
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