Making a big move south
A Nelson single mother who has been living in a caravan with her family has chosen Timaru as her new home due to a lack of available property in her hometown.
For the past four weeks, Cindy, who did not want her last name used, has been living in a caravan at the Tahunanui Campground while waiting for accommodation with Housing New Zealand.
She has agreed to take a threebedroom home in Timaru because she didn’t want to go back to the bottom of the waiting list.
The house costs $106 a week and the family move in on November 1.
Minister of Social Development deputy chief executive housing Scott Gallacher said as part of the assessment process, the ministry asked a person to provide at least three letting areas so they could match them to a suitable property.
‘‘A person may choose a letting area outside of where they are currently staying, so they can maximise their opportunities of funding a suitable property as quickly as possible,’’ Gallacher said.
Figures as at June 30, 2017, show Housing New Zealand owns 413 properties in the Timaru District Territorial Local Authority area with just 8 of those vacant. Three of those properties are under repair.
Gallacher said the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) works with people who need housing and social support.
‘‘When a person presents to us with a housing need, we will discuss their need and place them on the Social Housing Register with a priority rating. The social housing register is not a time-ranked waitlist – people who have been assessed as having the greatest need will be matched to appropriate housing as a priority.’’
Cindy said she had accepted the Timaru house as the housing in Nelson ‘‘is bad’’.
Cindy Timaru.
Living in a borrowed caravan on a site at Tahunanui Campground and paying $490 a week, Cindy said it had been a struggle to support her family.
To make matters difficult, Cody is autistic.
Surviving on her job seekers benefit doesn’t know anyone in and borrowed money, the last couple of years led to her current situation.
Cindy said she had bad credit and became bankrupt two years ago.
The sleeping arrangements required Cindy to share a king single with Jesse while Cody slept on the couch space. A stretcher was set up in the awning for additional guests.
Every week, Cindy checked in with Housing New Zealand to show that she was committed to finding a house.
‘‘Housing here is a joke, you’ll go to look at a place and there’s 50 other people applying.’’
Ministry of Social Development acting regional director Stephanie Read said Cindy was working hard to find a place to live and it understood her frustration at not being able to find something suitable.
Read said homes in Nelson were in high demand and as had Cindy widened her search to the northern half of the South Island it meant there were more available properties.
Cindy and her family had a high housing priority rating and Read said her current accommodation was not ideal for a young family.
Read said MSD and a number of other agencies had been working closely with Cindy to help her find suitable long-term accommodation.
‘‘We are pleased to say Cindy has been found a new home in Timaru. We will be providing her with financial assistance to help her move which we understand she is quite excited about.’’