19 new homes for South Auckland families

EMBARGOED UNTIL 1:00pm, Friday 6 July 2018
--
Up to 76 South Auckland families each year will benefit from 19 brand new homes in Manurewa that opened as transitional housing today [Friday, 6 July].

Associate Housing and Urban Development Minister Jenny Salesa formally opened the housing development on Sturdee Road today.

The development is a joint project: Housing New Zealand (HNZ) built the housing and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has contracted STRIVE Community Trust to manage the properties and support the people living there.

The homes offer short-term housing for families who urgently need a place to live while they look for a longer-term home, says STRIVE Chief Executive Sharon Wilson-Davis.

Sharon Wilson-Davis says the new homes are much needed and several of the units have already been let to families. STRIVE staff are onsite every day working alongside each family, providing practical and emotional support to help them into a stronger situation and better able to find longer-term suitable homes.

"I cannot overstate how grateful families are to have onsite support and a stable, warm place to live while we help get their lives back on track and find permanent affordable homes," Sharon Wilson-Davis says.

"Anyone who has met a parent who has just learned they do not have to worry about where their family will sleep next week, and that someone is there to support them, will understand the impact of transitional housing."

STRIVE has been supporting the South Auckland community with a range of services for more than 20 years.

MSD Housing Deputy Chief Executive Scott Gallacher says transitional housing and providers such as STRIVE help make sure that people in urgent need of housing have support and a warm, dry place to live.

"The long-term goal is to have enough public housing to meet demand, but this cannot be done overnight.

"Government and housing providers are bringing on 6,400 more public housing places over the next four years. Meanwhile, we are doing what it takes to ensure no one in need of housing goes unsupported. Transitional housing is an important part of that.

"We now have more than 2,100 transitional places across New Zealand. As of 31 May, 912 of these were in Auckland, supporting more than 3,600 families each year."

The 19 new homes at Sturdee Rd add to this total, with 16 modern, warm, well-designed two-bedroom places and 3 five-bedroom places.

© Scoop Media