Wait for house finally over

Bruce Bray is no longer facing another cold, long winter of sleeping in a vehicle.

After more than a year of homelessness and living in his van with his dog, Bud, he was offered a Housing New Zealand property in June.

Bray is now settling into the two-bedroom house in Bayview, around the corner from his five children and two grandchildren.

‘‘Having a proper bed is amazing, I’d forgotten how comfortable having a bed is,’’ Bray says.

‘‘I’m really grateful for my electric blanket. I couldn’t ask for better.’’

Bray, who is on the sickness benefit due to an injury, shared his struggle to find a house with North Shore Times in March.

He had been camping in his bright blue van outside Birkenhead Baptist Church since early winter in 2015.

He became a church regular, befriending pastor Rob Markley and church members, who provided him with assistance, blankets and food parcels.

Markley went into bat for Bray from the beginning, contacting Work and Income New Zealand for the past year about his situation.

When Prime Minister John Key suggested homeless people seek help from Work and Income in May, Markley decided to do just that.

‘‘I contacted them again when it was all over the news and told them about Bruce,’’ Markley says.

‘‘I think they didn’t want any more negative publicity which motivated them to do something.’’

Work and Income and Housing New Zealand came to the party, and Bray got the call about the house in June.

Markley says everyone in the church is thrilled Bray finally has a roof over his head and helped him move into his house and gave him furniture and a car.

‘‘Single men never get Housing New Zealand places. A year seems like a long time, but a year actually seems like a record,’’ Markley says.

‘‘I don’t discount God’s timing has all come together in a way.’’

Bray is now focusing on budgeting for power, water and food, and looks forward to watching his grandchildren grow up.

‘‘It makes you realise how lucky you are to have a house... A lot of the time we take these things for granted,’’ Bray says.

PHOTO: EMILY FORD/FAIRFAX NZ With a kitchen, heating and a proper bed, Bruce Bray is thankful he finally has a roof over his head after a year camping in his van with his dog, Bud.