Porirua’s critical housing shortage
One third of Mana MP Kris Faafoi’s electorate work is dealing with unmet social housing needs – one each day, and increasing.
Responsibility for meeting social housing needs was taken away from Housing New Zealand in April, turning the agency into a landlord.
The urgent housing need list was given to the Ministry of Social Development, but the responsibility shift has already caused problems.
The ministry assessed one woman for income-related rent and reduced her rent from $300 per week to $90, but the message never reached Housing New Zealand. The woman steadily accrued arrears at $300 per week, and only the intervention of Faafoi’s electorate office staved off eviction.
Housing New Zealand told Faafoi the woman’s arrears were not its problem and their only responsibility was to manage the tenancy.
‘‘What if she hadn’t come in?’’ Faafoi asked. ‘‘ And who else out there is being booted out?’’
Another man has been ‘‘ couchsurfing’’ with friends some nights and sleeping rough the rest.
‘‘No one in New Zealand should be sleeping on the street,’’ Faafoi said.
Since the Christchurch quakes, Housing New Zealand’s stock has been assessed for earthquake resistance, and 470 tenants relocated nationally. So far 187 homes in the Wellington region have been strengthened, refurbished and re-tenanted.
Kapi Mana News understands that 49 Housing New Zealand buildings in Porirua, representing 211 homes, were cleared of tenants for earthquake strengthening, and about 30 have been completed.
The ministry website showed that, as of June 30, there were 32 families or individuals in Porirua on the priority A urgent waiting list, meaning they were at risk and had severe and persistent housing needs that must be addressed immediately.
There were 26 assessed as priority B, in serious need.
Ministry spokesman Mike Freeman said the assessments did not guarantee anyone would get a house in any particular time, but set their priority in the queue.
A person notifying the ministry he or she was in urgent need of housing was immediately assessed and referred to a supplier of emergency housing such as the Salvation Army and a payment made, if necessary.