Housing advocate Ricky Houghton, from Te Paatu, Ngāti Kahu and Ngāti Whātua has died at 62.
He died of cancer, surrounded by his whānau in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Houghton was known for working tirelessly for his community to improve the quality of life for whānau Māori. A former chief executive for He Korowai Trust in Kaitāia, he was also named Local Hero of the Year, in the New Zealander of the Year Awards in 2018.
He received the award in recognition of his dedication to improving the quality of life of whānau in the Far North, in particular developing housing and employment initiatives that support young people to stay in Northland, to remain connected with whānau and have a secure and sustainable future.
In addition, he founded the housing initiative Whare Ora, which provided shelter for the homeless and promoted development using kaupapa Māori.
Houghton always looked out for his people.
Saving whānau from mortgage sales
Among its work, nine families who were living in cow sheds, carports and the streets entered the housing programmme and received food, healthcare and education for children in a safe, alcohol-free, drug-free, violence-free community.
Houghton even bought a motel in Kaitāia and mortgaged his own home to afford it, transforming it into an emergency shelter.
Over 10 years he is credited with saving over 550 homes from mortgagee sales in the Far North, keeping 6400 vulnerable Kiwis housed. He has overseen services in justice and whanau development to more than 800 whanau.
He was awarded the Outstanding Māori Business Leader Award in 2019 in recognition of his exceptional career success and outstanding leadership characteristics.
Houghton will be at Te Piringatahi o te Maungaarongo Marae in West Harbour, Auckland, for two nights and will return to Muriwhenua on Wednesday.
