The objective of this programme of research, co-led by Dr Fiona Cram and Dr Tepora Emery, Toi Ohomai, is to nurture housing research that is by, with and for whānau (kinship collectives), hapū (subtribes), Iwi (tribes) and Māori communities. This is about mana motuhake, or Māori self-determination over housing research priorities, methodologies, and the utilisation of research findings. In this way the science and mātauranga (knowledge) of Māori housing, homes, places and people can be built and strengthened for Māori vitality and sustainability.

Visit the website for more information. Also visit the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge website.

Publications

Cram, Fiona & Emery, Tepora (2024). Poipoia te Kākano, Kia Puāwai – Nurture the seed and it will blossom. Final research report. Auckland: Katoa Ltd.

Cram, F., Emery, T., Aydon-Pou, V., Makoare, Z., Morrison, K., Munro, M., Pohatu, L., Pohatu, N., Pohatu, T.K. & Te Huia, B. (2021). Poipoia te kākano, kia puāwai: Nurturing the seed of community-based Māori housing research. Scope. Contemporary Research Topics: Kaupapa Kāi Tahu, 6, 22-32.

Cram, F., Emery, T., Munro, M., Aydon-Pou, V., Makoare, Z., Morrison, K., Pohatu, L. & Te Huia, B. (2023). Poipoia te kākano, kia puāwai: Enabling Māori community researchers to examine the meaning of home. In F. Neuhaus (Ed.), Cultures, Communities and Design: Connecting Planning, Landscapes, Architecture and People. AMPS, University of Calgary, 28-30 June 2022. AMPS: AMPS Proceedings Services 30.

Munro, Morehu (2021). Te Wairoa, te kāinga tahi. Report for the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua funding stream of the Building Better Homes, Towns and Communities National Science Challenge.

Te Huia, B. with Kairangahau Rangatahi (2021). Waipuka papakāinga. Report for the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua funding stream of the Building Better Homes, Towns and Communities National Science Challenge.

Te Huia, B. with Kairangahau Rangatahi (2020). Kaitiakitanga - Pāua. Waipuka papakāinga. Report for the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua funding stream of the Building Better Homes, Towns and Communities National Science Challenge.

Te Huia, B. with Kairangahau Rangatahi (2020). 'Matariki te whetu o te tau' - Waipuka papakāinga. Report for the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua funding stream of the Building Better Homes, Towns and Communities National Science Challenge.

Publications

Adcock, A. & Cram, F. (2024). Young Māori mothers in and around Horowhenua talk about housing and home. In P. Barrett, F. Cram & B. James (Eds.), (2024) The experience of homemaking in unaffordable and precarious housing. (pp. 30-38). Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge, Affordable Housing for Generations. Wellington: AHFG, BBHTC.

Adcock, A., Cram, F., & Lawton, B. (2021). "It feels real good having my own space" - Young Māori mothers in the E Hine study talk about housing. In K. Saville-Smith, & G. Walker (Eds.), Special edition: Housing at the heart of place, people and population - Ko te whare noho kei te iho o te wāhi, te tangata me te taupori. New Zealand Population Review, 47, 171-197. 

Barrett, P., Cram, F. & James, B. (Eds.), (2024). The experience of homemaking in unaffordable and precarious housing. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge, Affordable Housing for Generations. Wellington: AHFG, BBHTC.

Barrett, P., James, B. & Cram, F. (2024). Responding to the experience of homemaking in unaffordable and precarious housing. In P. Barrett, F. Cram & B. James (Eds.), (2024). The experience of homemaking in unaffordable and precarious housing. (pp. 100-109). Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge, Affordable Housing for Generations. Wellington: AHFG, BBHTC.

Cram, F. (2024). Older Māori returning to papakāinga and marae-based housing. In P. Barrett, F. Cram & B. James (Eds.), (2024). The experience of homemaking in unaffordable and precarious housing. (pp. 51-63). Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge, Affordable Housing for Generations. Wellington: AHFG, BBHTC.

Cram, F. (2021). Mahi Aroha: Māori work in times of trouble and disaster as an expression of a love for the people. Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online, 16( 2), 356–370. https://doi.org/10.1080/1177083X.2021.1879181

Cram, F. (2020). Mahi aroha: Aroha ki te tangata, he tangata. MAI Journal, 9(4), 3-6. doi: 10.20507/MAIJournal.2020.9.4.1

Cram, F., Berghan, J., Adcock, A., & Fowler, M. (2023). Young Mothers at Te Tipu Whenua o Pa Harakeke talk about what makes a house a home. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities, Affordable Housing for Generations – Component C, March 2023, Wellington: BBHTC.

Cram, F., Cram, S., Munro, M. & Tawhai, S. (2021). Awhi mai, awhi atu: Giving and receiving support during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities, Affordable Housing for Generations, June 2021, Wellington: BBHTC.

Cram, F., Tawhai, S., Munro, M. & Apatu, A. (2024). Reinvigorating homeplaces - the impact of house repairs on Maori wellbeing. MAI Journal, 13(1), 39-50. DOI:10.20507/MAIJournal.2024.13.1.4

James, B.L., Bates, L., Coleman, T.M., Kearns, R. & Cram, F. (2020). Tenure insecurity, precarious housing and hidden homelessness among older renters in New Zealand. Housing Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2020.1813259

James, B.L., Coleman, T.M., Cram, F., Bates, L. & Kearns, R. (2021). Pathways to renting among older former homeowners | Ngā ara ki te rēti whare i waenga i te hunga aātāpuputu i pupuri whare i mua. In K. Saville-Smith, & G. Walker (Eds.), Special edition: Housing at the heart of place, people and population - Ko te whare noho kei te iho o te wāhi, te tangata me te taupori. New Zealand Population Review, 47, 225-261.

Saville-Smith, K., Cram, F., James, B. and Robinson, A. (Eds.), (2022). Reflections on kaumātua, pakeke and seniors’ housing. Ageing Well National Science Challenge.

Homes Built for Real Lives, Great Futures, 2016-2019

This project is being led by Dr Kay Saville-Smith, CRESA, with the multidisciplinary research team. Read more about the project here. The funding for the research programme comes from the government’s Science Challenge: Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities. The vision of the Challenge is Ka ora kāinga rua: Built environments that build communities.A Māori case study within this project focuses on two main questions:

• 1. What makes a house a home for whānau Māori?

  2. Does low cost housing for whānau strengthen their whānau ora?

Publications

Cram, F. (2020). He mātou whare, he mātou kāinga hoki – a house that is a home for whānau Māori. Report for Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: Revitalising the Production of Affordable Housing for Productive, Engaged and Healthy Lives. May 2020, 32 pgs. Wellington: BBHTC.

Saville-Smith, K. (2019) (Ed.). Revitalising the production of affordable housing for productive, engaging and healthy lives: Integrated report. Wellington: Research Report for the Building Better Homes Towns and Cities National Science Challenge: Revitalising the Production of Affordable Housing for Productive, Engaged and Healthy Lives.

Getting Decisions for Homes and Cities that Work, 2016-2019

This research recognises that there is no 'silver bullet' that will 'fix' the current housing crisis. Rather, this research programmes asks after the logic of decision making so that those wanting homes and those making decisions about housing can find some middle ground to support better homes, towns and cities. Find out about this research here.

A Māori case study within this research programme is following an Iwi (tribe) on their journey to support the housing aspirations of their hapū (sub-tribes), whānau (families) and people. This will be available in 2021.

Life When Renting - Enabling Older People's Independence, 2016-2019

This four year programme of research led by Dr Kay Saville-Smith enquires after the responsiveness of the rental housing market for older people. Read more about the project here.Over 40 people (55+ years old) who are renting their housing in Hawke's Bay have been interviewed about their experiences as renters and what their expectations are of growing older in rental accommodation. Findings from this research are being submitted for publication in 2019-2020.

Publication

Cram, F. & Munroe, M. (2020). Life when renting for older Māori. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples.

Finding the Best Fit: Downsizing and Older People in a Changing Society, 2014-16

The project was led by Kay Saville-Smith, CRESA, with the research team including Dr Bev James, Professor Larry Murphy, Dr Michael Rehm, and Dr Fiona Cram.In September 2013 we received news of the success of our public-good science fund research application, Finding the Best Fit: Housing, Downsizing and Older People in a Changing Society.

This research was about the practicalities of ‘downsizing’ housing and older people’s functional and financial independence and wellbeing. It was about the decisions older people make about their housing for retirement, and the things that influence these decisions. They may choose to downsize, stay in their current home, move to another location, move home, or move closer to their marae – or perhaps some combination of these and other options. Their decisions might depend on whānau commitments, access to health care, marae and hapū connections and responsibilities, financial circumstances, and other considerations. These are the things this research project explored.

• Find out more about the full study at Good Homes website.