Te Rauā housing: homeowners’ perspective
Te Rauā Whānau coming home
For kaumātua Emily Hiko, moving into her new one-bedroom home at the Te Rauā residential development has been nothing short of life-changing.
“It’s amazing,” she says, with a smile. “It’s so warm – it’s hard to put into words. I’m just thrilled with it. It’s not too big, it’s all I need – a bedroom, a lovely kitchen, living area, and a beautiful accessible shower. The shower – you could hold a dance in it, it’s that big!”
Emily Hiko in the doorway of her new home at Te Rauā
At 72, Emily has come full circle. Born and raised in Wairoa, she spent the first 20 years of her life in the region. After many years away, she felt the pull to return home to her roots and be closer to her whānau. So, in September 2024, she made the move back – but it wasn’t easy at first.
With limited space at her nephew’s place, Emily ended up living in their garage.
“They did their best to make it comfortable, but it wasn’t insulated. With winter approaching it was getting cold,” she recalls.
When her nephew and his family had to sell their home and move to Hastings, Emily suddenly found herself in need of somewhere permanent. That’s when her nephew suggested she get in touch with Tātau Tātau to apply for a home in the new Te Rauā development.
“I was over the moon when my application was accepted,” she says.
Now, Emily is settled into her warm, dry, and accessible home – purpose-built to meet Healthy Homes standards, with open-plan living, air conditioning, and wet-area showers.
But it’s more than just the house that’s brought her joy – it’s the sense of community too.
“It really feels like a village here,” she says. “I have lots of whānau and friends popping in for a cuppa – which I definitely need at my age!” she laughs. “Even the young fella next door calls me Auntie. It really feels like I belong.”
For Emily, this home represents more than just a roof over her head – it’s about connection, comfort, and finally being back where her heart has always been.
“I’m one of 15 siblings – my sister is the only one still alive. I have lots of moko and family here, and I want to spend the rest of my time with them. Family is everything to me.”
New resident Lucky Hawkins is truly feeling “lucky” to have found a new three-bedroom whare in the Te Rauā development.
After her home became unliveable during Cyclone Gabrielle, Lucky and her mother were left without a place to live in Wairoa. Over the next two years, Lucky moved 14 times—staying at beaches, Airbnbs, short-term rentals, and with whānau. Desperate for something stable, she bought a house bus in late 2024. But even that didn’t go to plan, as they couldn’t get basic repairs done due to shortages affecting everyone and eventually had to move it to Gisborne.
Lucky Hawkins outside her new Te Rauā home
While the bus was being repaired in Gisborne, Cyclone Alfred hit Australia. It was expected to pass through the East Coast, but ultimately didn’t.
“The wind was so strong it blew the entire sunroof off. We tried to stay positive, even put a bucket with bricks on top to stop the rain getting in,” Lucky said. “Then one morning at 1am, logs came crashing onto the bus and everything inside was blown everywhere.”
Around that time, Lucky found out she had been accepted into a new three-bedroom whare in Te Rauā.
“It honestly feels surreal. Not only do we have a warm, dry home that doesn’t leak—we’ve even got two flushing toilets and a heat pump. After over two years of uncertainty, constant upheaval, and surviving with only the barest of necessities, we now have something we haven’t had in a very long time - a warm, safe, stable whare.”
The new whare also means Lucky’s nephews, who she shares custody of, can now live with them. And with a separate office, she’s been able to return to her studies.
“For me, it’s about picking up where I left off—right here in Wairoa. I started out years ago working day and night shifts at AFFCO, and from there moved into study while juggling various roles, including a teaching role in the prison sector, position at EIT in Wairoa and an Education Manager for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. I’ve completed 12 qualifications here and am in the final stage of my Doctorate in Professional Practice, focused on how education can transform lives and communities.”
And from this journey, something new has emerged.
“I’ve begun writing a children’s book, which I hope will grow into a series—starting with stories that help tamariki find and share their voice, especially in times of change.”
“We are not just thankful to be back in Wairoa—we are transformed by the gift of returning. We carry our gratitude in everything we do next.”