Vacant housing land stirs protest

''I did not know just how bad it was.'' Rev Martin Robinson

They sang prayers, had a camp fire and sent the Government a resounding message about housing in Lower Hutt.

About 500 people attended a weekend-long protest organised by St David’s Church in Naenae.

The protest aimed to draw attention to the amount of vacant Housing New Zealand land in Lower Hutt and the lack of plans for it.

Rev Martin Robinson said what struck him was the number of people who dropped in to tell their story.

‘‘I knew it was a crisis but I did not know just how bad it was … scores of folk talked about their own personal experience of living in garages or cars, or jammed in overcrowded houses. There were heaps of couch surfers.’’

More than 40 people camped out on Friday and Saturday nights, which Robinson said reflected the high level of concern about housing issues.

The organisers met with Housing NZ to discuss the vacant land in Naenae and Epuni, but Robinson said the news was not good.

‘‘It transpired that there are no plans and they are only at the high level, early conceptual, stage for Epuni … it will be years before they do anything in Naenae.’’

St David’s has built four houses and Robinson said the answer to housing problems was for the council, Housing NZ and community organisations to take a coordinated approach.

One of the big issues was how to find accommodation for former prisoners in such a tight housing market, he said.

The protest received national media coverage and Robinson was hoping it would put pressure on the Government.

He planned to ‘‘reflect’’ on its success before deciding what their next move would be, but said it was important to keep the pressure on the Government.

Lower Hutt mayor Ray Wallace was impressed with the protest.

‘‘I think what the church has done is fantastic. It is all about supporting people … there is an urgent need for housing, on all this vacant land, and I totally agree with them.’’

There is 17,000 square metres of empty Housing NZ land in Naenae and Epuni. Some has been vacant for more than four years and Wallace said that was unacceptable when people need housing.

‘‘I still have grave concerns that there are still no plans or visions.’’