Government Investment Brings 133 New Homes to Eastern Bay of Plenty

The Eastern Bay of Plenty is set to receive 133 new social and affordable homes as part of a nationwide Government housing package targeting areas with the greatest need.

Kawerau will receive 60 homes, Whakatāne 54 and Ōpōtiki 19.

East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick said the investment was a significant step towards addressing the region’s longstanding shortage of housing.

“These towns have been calling for more housing for some time,” Kirkpatrick said.

“We understand that housing is a particularly high-need area in our communities and across the East Coast electorate.”

The 133 homes are part of a nationwide package of more than 820 social and affordable homes funded through the Government’s Housing Flexible Fund.

Kirkpatrick said the homes would be delivered through a combination of iwi and Māori housing providers, community housing providers and other partners.

They will include a mix of one- and two-bedroom properties, as well as larger family homes, based on the needs identified in the region.

She said the homes would be aimed at people experiencing high housing need, including those on the housing register, people living in overcrowded homes and households requiring housing assistance.

The locations were selected through the Government’s Housing Investment Plan, which uses local data and information to identify where housing need is greatest.

Seven preferred delivery partners have been identified to work on projects in the Eastern Bay.

The investment comes as the region continues to face significant demand for housing.

In June 2026, there were 42 people on the housing register in Kawerau, 216 in Whakatāne and 81 in Ōpōtiki, totalling 339 applicants across the three towns.

This was an increase of 0.9 per cent from the previous quarter, when there were 336 applicants.

Kirkpatrick said the 133 homes would still make a significant difference.

“They will go a very long way towards shifting the dial,” she said.

However, the homes will not meet the region’s entire housing need, with Kirkpatrick saying more work will be required to address the shortage.

She said that included working with councils to make land available for new housing developments, as well as supporting Kāinga Ora, community housing providers and iwi to build on Māori and other land.

“We’ve always had a real supply problem. So this is going a long way towards helping,” she said.

“It won’t fix the entire problem, and we’ll always have more work to do, but I think it’s a significant investment and good news for the community.”

The Government said the investment will also provide opportunities for local employment and help support the construction sector.

Kirkpatrick said she hoped the building programme would create opportunities for local workers and the construction industry.

“I really hope there is an opportunity for Trades Academies and locals to be involved,” she said.

Kirkpatrick said the investment would help expand the number of homes available and reduce the pressure on families who may otherwise have to rely on emergency or transitional housing.

“What we don’t want is people moving in with other families and moving into places because it’s too hard to find their own place,” she said.

She said the 133 homes would help address the shortage, but more housing would still be needed as the Eastern Bay continues to grow.

“The region is growing, and people will always need more housing. It needs to be available for people,” she said.