Symbol of housing crisis finally levelled
Bulldozers have demolished an Auckland social home that for the past year became a symbol of Auckland’s housing crisis.
Beneficiary Niki Rauti had lived in the Glen Innes weatherboard former state house for 30 years. But she was forced to move out on Friday after losing a lengthy legal battle to overturn an eviction notice. Her old home was demolished yesterday.
Rauti was issued an eviction notice in October last year by the Tamaki Regeneration Company (TRC) – a company jointly owned by the Government and Auckland Council. Her home was one of 2800 state homes TRC planned to demolish and replace with 7500 new homes in Glen Innes over the next 15 years.
Rauti said her health was deteriorating and she had to look ahead after the negotiations with TRC. ‘‘I said my goodbyes on Friday,’’ Rauti said.
She said she was settling into her new Ta¯maki Housing home and it was ‘‘very nice’’.
The Glen Innes resident first took legal action against TRC in October 2016.
Rauti’s house was one of six properties to be demolished together and replaced with 12 new, fourbedroom houses. The new houses are expected to be completed by April 2018.
The first eviction notice was disputed by Rauti in October 2016 and she then took her case to the Auckland District Court in May in an attempt to appeal the possession order of her home, granted by the Tenancy Tribunal in February. In June, the Auckland District Court upheld the Tenancy Tribunal’s judgment, giving TRC the legal right to evict Rauti.
In September, Rauti took the company to the High Court but her appeal was dismissed by a High Court judge.