Family breathe easier
It took one family years to escape their leaking, mouldy state house for a warm, dry home. Michael Neilson reports on a happy ending for the Pye family in Napier
The first five years of Unique Pye’s life were spent in a Ka¯inga Ora home that leaked nearly every time it rained, causing perpetual dampness and mould through the family home.
Unique developed chronic lung disease and asthma which her doctor said was “if not caused by her housing [conditions] at least they are contributing to her deterioration”.
“Not to jeopardise her medical wellbeing she needs to be provided with a dry and mould-free living space,” a medical note read.
Last year, her first year at school, she missed nearly an entire term due to illness.
After a prolonged battle with their Government landlord, Ka¯inga Ora (formerly Housing NZ), Unique’s mother, Vannessa, was able to secure Unique and her three siblings a warm and dry alternative home in Hastings nearby.
Pye said just a month after moving into their Hastings home her children — Unique, 6, and three boys Alizae, 4, Casey, 2 and Carter, 6 months — were all starting to breathe clearly.
“It is so much better, and it is so nice not to be always worrying about their health.”
Ka¯inga Ora has denied their previous home was contributing to Unique’s poor health. The Government agency has refused a request for an interview.
Meanwhile, an analysis of 2018 Census data shows the Pye wha¯ nau’s situation is far from uncommon.
In 2018, people living in Ka¯ inga Ora properties were more than twice as likely to report their homes being “always damp” as those living in private rentals, and more than 15 times compared with homes owned or held in a family trust by the household.
Ka¯inga Ora houses were also nearly twice as likely to have tenants to report a section of mould over a piece of A4 paper in size “always”, compared with the private rental market, and more than eight times more likely compared with homes owned or held in a family trust by the household.
Mould flourishes in cold and damp homes, especially those poorly built, lacking insulation and adequate heating or with water leaking into or pooling around the house.
Homes that aren’t ventilated by having their windows opened regularly were also mould-prone.
Medical experts say that with rising demand for social housing, they are seeing increasing numbers of desperate people seeking medical attention for preventable respiratory diseases related to poor housing.
For years Pye said she fought to have her landlord, Ka¯inga Ora, repair the leaks, which as well as clogging her four young children’s lungs were even sparking small electrical fires.
When Ka¯inga Ora did agree to replace the roof in January, a contractor accidentally drilled through a pipe in the ceiling, sending water pouring through the two-bedroom house.
Ka¯inga Ora initially said the damage to the house was “not serious” and the family would be back “as soon as possible”.
“The house is in liveable condition and we would certainly get other suitable accommodation for our customer and her wha¯nau were that not the case,” Hawke’s Bay area manager Andrew Cairns said at the time.
Pye disputed this, and eventually got her way.
She and her children never returned to the Maraenui house, and ended up spending three weeks in emergency accommodation in a motel while a new home was sought.
Eventually a three-bedroom home was found in Mahora, Hastings.
Pye said they were all feeling “really good”.
“It’s warm, it’s dry, it’s not new but it has new carpet and new paint, and no leaks.
“I love it. I feel so much better not having to constantly worry about how the house might be affecting my children’s health.”
However, Pye was still not satisfied with the way Ka¯inga Ora treated her complaints about their old home.
After the latest leak during the roof repair, initially Ka¯inga Ora had offered her and three children, including a toddler, space in a hostel.
Luckily, Pye was able to stay with family.
“I’m not happy with how Ka¯inga Ora dealt with me. They weren’t worried at all until I went to the paper.”
Pye said despite their ordeal, not having to worry constantly about her children’s health and battle Ka¯inga Ora had given her more time for her family, and even some for herself.
She’d started working part-time, and even taken up gardening, but had recently been told most of their backyard was going to be taken up with another Ka¯inga Ora property.
Hawke’s Bay is among the areas worst affected by New Zealand’s housing crisis, and Napier has, per capita, the country’s highest demand for social housing.
“We have houses going for extraordinary prices, unaffordable rental prices, overcrowding with people sleeping in cars and garages, and a dearth of social housing supply, along with the floods,” Denis O’reilly, chairman of Waiohiki Community Charitable Trust which is involved in social housing, said recently.
Ministry of Social Development general manager housing Karen Hocking said the causes of the increasing demand for public housing were “complex”, but included a shortage of affordable accommodation throughout New Zealand.
Ka¯inga Ora refused an interview request, but in a statement Cairns said of Pye’s new placement: “We’re pleased we’ve found Vannessa and wha¯nau a new home in a location with which they’re happy. “We’ll continue to support them.” Ka¯inga Ora refused to answer questions relating to health concerns raised by Pye, including if they had seen her doctor’s note confirming Unique’s respiratory issues were being worsened in the home.
Dr Maryann Heather, A¯GP at South Seas Healthcare Clinic in Otara, Auckland, said the clinic was treating dozens of people each day with housing-related respiratory illnesses.
“Asthma, rheumatic fever, bronchiolitis . . . and all because of the way they are living.
“Poor housing is the biggest issue for our people’s health at the moment.”
Asthma, rheumatic fever, bronchiolitis . . . and all because of the way they are living. Dr Maryann Heather