Niki Rauti moves out of home after year-long battle
After a year-long battle to stay in her home of more than 30 years, Auckland beneficiary Niki Rauti has moved out.
The Glen Innes resident had been fighting to remain living in her social home since being issued an eviction notice in October last year by the Ta¯ maki Regeneration Company (TRC).
D-day was meant to have arrived for Rauti after a bailiff was ordered to remove her on October 18, following months of legal proceedings.
However, Rauti came to an agreement with TRC that she would move out of the home on her own.
‘‘I’ve moved on now. I’m tired. They’ve just worn me out,’’ she told Stuff on October 18.
TRC’S housing general manager Neil Porteous said Rauti moved into her new home on Friday.
‘‘We are pleased to have come to an agreement with Ms Rauti,’’ Porteous said.
‘‘She has now moved into a new Ta¯ maki Housing property nearby.’’
‘‘I've moved on now. I'm tired. They've just worn me out.’’ Niki Rauti
Rauti took legal action against the company earlier this year in an attempt to stay in her Taniwha St home.
Her home was one of 2800 state homes TRC planned to demolish and replace with 7500 new homes over the next 15 years. TRC is jointly owned by the Government and Auckland Council.
TRC is in charge of the physical, social and economic regeneration of the wider Ta¯ maki area.
Rauti’s house was one of six properties to be demolished together and replaced with 12 new four-bedroom houses, expected to be completed by April.
Rauti first disputed her first eviction notice in October 2016 and took her case to the Auckland District Court in May in an attempt to appeal possession order of her home, granted by the Tenancy Tribunal in February.
In June, the Auckland District Court upheld the Tenancy Tribunal’s judgement, giving TRC the legal right to evict Rauti.
In September, Rauti along with a group of 50 supporters marched on Symonds St from the University of Auckland to the High Court in an attempt to appeal the Tenancy Tribunal’s judgement.
Despite Rauti ‘‘feeling good’’ about the case, her appeal was dismissed by a High Court judge.
TRC had previously offered her a home 500 metres away from her current home throughout her battle.