Our purpose is to bring affordable housing solutions to Pasefika communities that are designed and built for the Pasefika way of life. The vision is re-imagining a Pasefika village in Aotearoa.
The Pasefika Housing (Trust) was set up by Central Pacific Collective to focus specifically on the housing challenges faced by Pasefika. The first innovation is ‘Our Whare Our Fale’, a government funded project announced in the 2022 Budget. The project received policy support and advice from the Ministry for Pacific People, the Treasury, Housing and Urban Development and Kainga Ora.
A historical partnership between mana whenua, Ngāti Toa, and Central Pacific Collective will bring up to 300 affordable homes in Porirua’s eastern suburbs over the next decade. Ngāti Toa Tumu Whakarae - Helmut Modlik, and CPC Executive Chair – Fa’amatuainu Tino Pereira got together with an intent to make real change and create opportunity for Pasefika families to achieve homeownership. Ngāti Toa contributes the land, while CPC takes charge of designing and constructing the homes, giving rise to the project's name - Our Whare Our Fale.
Census data from 2018 shows only one-in-three Pasifika people in New Zealand own their own home. More than half live in homes with at least one housing problem, like cold, mould or dampness, compared to 32% of the total population. Almost 40% are living in a dwelling without enough bedrooms for the people living there. Our aspiration is to start to even up some of these disparities, by providing healthy fit for purpose, affordable homes with our families and communities at the heart of the design process.
Fa’amatuainu
Tino Pereira | CEO
“Teu muamua lou loto-i-fale” – In the context of the Samoan housing space, the metaphor reflects the wisdom of taking heed first of the inner safety and integrity of the household as the overriding value underpinning the fale space. In essence, Our Whare Our Fale speaks to that sentiment, highlighting the quality of the lives of the families and the community as a critical driver for this unique and historical project.
“When we strengthen our wellbeing and protect our dignity for our loto-i-fale (inside our homes), we also protect and strengthen our wellbeing outside our homes - reflecting on the blessings of high quality Pasefika-designed and built homes.”
Our communities have been yearning for a re-affirmation of these values as we begin to re-imagine a Pasefika village in Aotearoa New Zealand. CPC now has a community mandate to build these homes that are authenticated and designed by Pasefika -and built by Pasefika for Pasefika. The homes will help leverage socio-economic outcomes, prosperity and sustainable wellbeing.