Cannons Creek is now home to 18 newly completed, energy-efficient houses designed to support Pacific families, marking the first milestone of the Our Whare Our Fale housing programme.
The homes were officially blessed this week in a community ceremony attended by Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti, alongside local leaders and whānau. The development includes a communal fale and homes built to Homestar 6 standards, offering warm, dry, and affordable living for multigenerational households.
Led by the Central Pacific Collective in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and supported by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, the initiative is part of a broader vision to deliver up to 300 affordable homes in Porirua by 2034. The project is backed by $114.6 million in Government investment.
Gerardine Clifford‑Lidstone, Secretary for Pacific Peoples, said the project represents more than just housing. “These homes are more than buildings, they are places where children will grow, where parents can plan for the future, and where communities will thrive,” she said.
Homes are made more accessible through shared equity schemes and a unique land lease arrangement with Ngāti Toa, which lowers costs by removing the need to buy land. The houses themselves are built at cost, not at inflated market rates.
Employment opportunities have also emerged from the project, with 36 people already engaged in construction, engineering, and support roles. Two more sites are in development, with 32 additional homes expected by late 2026.
“Our Whare Our Fale shows what is possible when government, iwi and community organisations work together,” said Clifford‑Lidstone. “It is about building homes but also about building futures.”
Families are set to move in before the end of the year, beginning a new chapter in the story of Pacific resilience and community in Eastern Porirua.