enabling affordable homes in raglan

The Whaingaroa Raglan Affordable Housing Project (WRAP) was first formed in 2017 by a collective of community leaders, tourism operators and business owners concerned about the rapidly rising cost of housing to buy or rent in Whaingaroa/Raglan.

In 2024, Waikato Community Lands Trust (WCLT) partnered with WRAP to provide a mechanism for land purchased or gifted, to be reserved in perpetuity for the community of Raglan to build homes that could be sold using supported financial arrangements to those in need.

WRAP’s vision is for all who live in Whaingaroa/Raglan are well-housed. This means timely access to habitable, affordable, accessible, culturally appropriate, appropriately located, and with security of tenure housing.

WRAP’s purpose is to advocate for, facilitate and enable the provision of housing to quality housing standards that will deliver its vision.

The Whaingaroa/Raglan area extends to the boundaries of the Ngāti Māhanga, Ngāti Tahinga (including Ngāti Tamainupō) and Ngāti Whakamaturangi.

WRAP started its journey with funding from the WEL Energy Trust Impact Grant, and WEL Energy has continued as a key sponsor, with their support enabling many milestones in WRAP’s success:

2018:

  • Research on the state of Whaingaroa/Raglan housing and future needs to assess the nature of housing stress on the residential population.

  • The outcomes of this research were presented at a full-day public Affordable Housing Forum in the Whaingaroa Town Hall.

2019:

  • A second all-day public housing forum ‘Conversations About Housing’ was conducted to support local residents on ways to reduce the costs of housing and to capture the local vision for affordable housing development in Whaingaroa.

  • Nine submissions were presented to the Waikato District Plan Review to encourage adoption of affordability within Waikato District Council housing policy, and to request changes to the proposed District Plan to include low rise intensification of housing with reduced land footprints.

2020:

  • Planning and architectural advice for the conversion of a local accommodation complex and consultations with local landowners for the purchase of six acres of residential land.

  • After considerable effort, including a half-day hui for whānau of the landowner group, both projects were withdrawn for personal reasons by the different landowners.

2021-2023:

  • Ongoing search for land suitable for comprehensive affordable housing development.

  • Consultations with a local landowner keen to support an affordable housing project in a comprehensive future development.

  • Appointment of WRAP Project Lead Fiona McNabb to WCLT board as a trustee.

2024:

  • $25,000 contract for Community Energy Whaingaroa to deliver a Healthy Homes Project aimed at increasing community knowledge about energy saving housing practices and training of accredited Healthy Homes Assessors to assist local homeowners and renters in making their homes warmer, energy efficient and healthy.

  • Incorporation with Waikato Community Lands Trust