Tauranga tenants left in limbo

Tenants of the Tauranga state houses about to be sold off to Ngati Ranginui and other private buyers are facing an uncertain future, with no help coming from state agencies.

While Housing New Zealand is consulting with the iwi and others, current residents are receiving very little, says the State Housing Action Network.


State Housing Action Network's Tauranga spokesperson, Vanessa Kururangi. Photo: Supplied.

After a recent meeting to discuss the needs of the tenants, Tauranga spokesperson Vanessa Kururangi says: 'I have a strong feeling that they are going to need some advocates to come with them to meetings and reply to the correspondence they are receiving.

'It's just information. You can't call it consultation because it's only one way. It's information being sent out in mass letters to our tenants and some of them are having a bit of difficulty understanding what's really going on.

'They are a little bit untrusting because they don't feel informed enough.”

Treasury confirmed last month that the proposed sale of around 1140 Housing NZ properties in Tauranga and 370 in Invercargill will proceed to the next phase of the commercial transaction process - market sounding.

Tauranga iwi Ngati Ranginui has been given first right of refusal to 115 Tauranga state houses.

The government will be working directly with the iwi, bypassing the open commercial process, to consider how the properties could be included in the state housing reforms.

'I would like to know how to engage with the tenants who are in those homes and find out which ones have been tagged for the Ngati Ranginui first option to buy,” adds Vanessa.

A reported media release states Ngati Ranginui is hoping to have their whanau in the state houses in three years.

'Well if you are talking about moving your whanau into these homes in three years, that conversely means there has to be a whanau that moves out, so what of them?” asks Vanessa.

'What happens to those people? Where is the support system for people who are going to be displaced from their homes and communities, and have their children possibly re-zoned into new schools?”

The stress created from moving people around creates problems right through the system, she insists.

'People are going to start feeling it in the way their children are educated, and the way their children are seen medically. They are going to have health problems because of stress. It's a whole heap of things.

'It's not just about losing your home, it's about losing the sense of community spirit and knowing the people around you.”

The Merivale community is planning more meetings as well as fundraising to get some tenants to the Hikoi in Wellington on October 13. They will also be trying to find out more about the Tauranga state house tenants.

However, due to privacy issues, Housing New Zealand will not reveal where the tenants are.

'I'm just really concerned that they don't have a voice,” says Vanessa.

'We are putting feelers out there, making our tenants feel more supported, and letting them know what their rights are and what their tenancy agreements say.”

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2 comments

Is this another disaster looming

Posted on 04-09-2015 16:07 | By Merlin

Is this another disaster looming from the government.If Whanau are going to be moved in what is going to happen to existing tenants.These State House sales look like being a big stuff up to me.


Fred

Posted on 05-09-2015 02:37 | By Kenworthlogger

Housing nz are constantly building new houses in Tauranga. With a little common sense it is quite easy to see what will happen.


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