Warm, safe homes and a lasting legacy for whānau
Affordable rentals, social housing and pathways to home ownership across Whakatāne.
Kawarehe Kāinga Māori Stage One is now open. Affordable Rentals at Huna Road are coming to market from October 2026. Register your interest to be first to hear.
Ko te whare e hanga te tangata, ko te tangata e hangaia e te whare
The house builds the people and the people build the house
Who we are
He Tohu Kāinga is the tenancy management service of Te Tohu o Te Ora o Ngāti Awa. We provide and manage quality homes for whānau within Ngāti Awa — from affordable rentals and social housing through to pathways into home ownership. Every tenancy comes with a dedicated tenancy manager and access to wraparound hauora, financial and employment support.
What makes us different
Whakatāne's own housing provider
We are the only Whakatāne-based community housing provider: delivering for our community, with our community, and accountable to our community. Locally based, locally invested and grounded in whakapapa.
Homes that build careers
Every development is also a training ground. Through Rukuhia Te Mahi, tauira learn on our building sites and move into placements and jobs with our build partners.
Designed for whānau, not just for numbers
Our designs are whare that include māra kai gardens and shared community spaces — room to grow kai, gather and connect. We design against overcrowding, not towards it, so homes feel spacious and settled.
Whenua working for future generations
Our model turns a long-standing strength, our whenua, into a modern engine for housing and economic wellbeing. Under our partnership model, homes stay with the land trust, building its wealth to unlock the next parcel of land.