Waikato workers forced to live in cars
Forget Auckland. Te Aroha in the Waikato has its own housing crisis.
There are plenty of jobs, but with no accommodation available, workers are being forced to sleep in their cars, according to Shirley Gillard and her team at the Te Aroha Citizens Advice Bureau.
‘‘We know because these people are coming to us looking for advice on how and where they can get a roof over their heads,’’ she said.
‘‘People are moving out of Auckland and coming to Te Aroha, thinking they can get a house to buy or rent, but it’s just not available.’’
She said not everyone coming into town looking for a place to live was employed, putting further social pressure on the district.
Te Aroha Holiday Park has often been considered as a ‘‘stepping stone’’ for short-term accommodation but that’s no longer the case.
‘‘We are often approached by people wanting to do deals for cheap semi-permanent accommodation, but we just have to say no, which means they have to find somewhere else,’’ says Te Aroha Holiday Park manager Anna Blattler.
She said the camp is full with ‘‘tradies’’ currently working on the Te Aroha Events Centre project and some rooms have to be left for tourists.
Jenny Nickel, who manages Property Brokers, had four properties available when contacted for comment on the accommodation shortage.
‘‘They won’t last, by the end of the week we will have nothing on our books.’’
The average rental price in Te Aroha has risen to over $300 a week, prompted by demand, and landlords have become very fussy.
‘‘Who can blame them, they are wary of their properties being damaged with P labs or animals,’’ she said.
‘‘I know it’s a tough decision but if you have good references and a pet, then renters have to decide whether they want a roof over their heads for their family, or live on the street or the car or have a pet.’’
Matamata-Piako District Council’s Te Aroha Ward councillor Teena Cornes said she aware Te Aroha has a growing population and is running out of real estate.
‘‘You cannot buy or even rent,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s certainly growing at a fast rate and the demographics in the town are changing with a real mixture of people coming from Auckland. ‘‘Our needs are changing. ‘‘We were once told that we were going to have an ageing population but now we see a lot of families in that mix as our economy grows,’’ said Cornes.
There is no quick solution to the accommodation issue.
But the Matamata-Piako District Council is opening up land for residential housing develop- ments which is currently out for public consultation as part of its 10-year plan.
Gillard said while the economy is buoyant there are plenty of jobs.
‘‘But there is also another side we conveniently forget about.
‘‘They are the ones who may not have a job, have no where to live and who we often see for food parcels from the food bank,’’ said Gillard.