Abstract
Significant effort is underway to address the housing crisis in Aotearoa New Zealand including rapid investment in public and community housing. Māori are highly urbanised and face many systemic barriers to home ownership and private rental. Consequently Māori make up a
significant proportion of public housing tenants. Developing and managing housing and associated neighbourhoods that support Māori wellbeing is of critical importance.
To help the movement toward culturally responsive housing and urban environments, members of the New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities have developed A Whakawhanaungatanga Maori Wellbeing Model for Housing and Urban Environments. The model is for use by researchers, developers, designers, managers and regulators. It emphasises whakawhanaungatanga (relationship building and creating opportunities for connectedness), which are central to the wellbeing of Māori.