Trust to help homeless at hotel
$1.2m govt contract to help over 50 of city’s homeless
In its heyday, the Four Canoes Hotel on Fenton St was a bustling hive of activity for cultural concerts and visitors. Now it’s home to some of the city’s most vulnerable people
The Government has entered a $1.2 million contract with Rotorua’s Four Canoes Hotel on Fenton St to help more than 50 of the city’s homeless until March next year.
The temporary housing agreement will also see those staying there offered a kaupapa Ma¯ori approach through a local iwi trust to help them through their social service needs.
Te Taumata o Nga¯ti Whakaue Iho Ake Trust team leader Jordon Harris said they were involved in facilitating those services and providing 24-hour security at the hotel.
He said the trust started helping about 50 homeless in five motels throughout Rotorua fromthe time the country went into alert level 4 lockdown on March 25.
“On that Wednesday night, standing in front of us were 156 people who had no home to isolate in. People were scared, panicked and worried they were going to be at risk, they were going to be arrested and were going to be forgotten.”
A Ministry of Housing and Urban Development spokesman said the contract started on August 10 and would run until March 31.
He said it would operate the same way as other Covid-19 accommo
dation where theministry funded the motel to provide accommodation and support services that are provided by the trust. The $1.2 million is just for the Four Canoes Hotel rooms until March next year. The Rotorua Daily Post has requested how much the wrap-around services cost.
The ministry spokesman said there were 56 units at the hotel which were expected to house 49 households.
It is just one of several motels on Fenton St now offering emergency and transitional housing to homeless — an arrangement that’s sparked an outcry from residents in the area frustrated with living with increased
crime and disorder. Harris said those needing help during lockdown ranged from people from the streets, people escaping domestic violence and displaced people from overcrowded homes.
Harris said a majority were from Rotorua and about 60 per cent were from Te Arawa. “These are people from here or who have lived here for a while. The bottomline is, regardless of where they come from, they have no place, no tu¯rangawaewae. This programme is about providing them with a place to stand with mana, reconnecting them and finding a place they can call home.”
The trust’s newly appointed generalmanager Tina Leach said she was proud to help wha¯nau in a way that added real and immediate support to those most in need.
“This essential mahi aligns perfectly with our values of whanaungatanga and manaakitanga.”
Trust project co-ordinator Priscilla Te Hau said managing one location as opposed to five had been better.
“The Four Canoes not only had the room in one location to house all 50 of our wha¯nau it also has a wharenui that was used for haka concerts back in the day.”
In recent years, the wharenui has been used as a storage unit so the trust got girls from Rotorua Intermediate’s Hine Kaha group to help clean it out and get themeeting house ready.
“We have only been here for a few weeks and we plan to begin wa¯nanga to address the many complex issues people are facing which has led them to be where they are today,” Te Hau said.
Sarah and Graham are among the 50 homeless now living at the Four Canoes Hotel.
The couple have a 14-month-old Sharpai dog they rescued when it was 4 months old after being abandoned near a river with a BB gun wound on its shoulder.
“We could not give up on this wee little girl, so we decided to keep her and give her a forever home with us full of love and care.”
But in September 2019, the pair became homeless and took refuge in their truck. Not only were they faced with not ever being able to find a house, they didn’t know how or where to go for any help.
“It was then we were blessed by the helping hand of Nga¯ti Whakaue and with their care and support they found us refuge at Malone’s Motel on Fenton St,” Sarah said.
However, they were not able to have their dog with them so she was given to a family friend.
“It was really hard to have to send her away, but we trusted that she would be cared for and loved. At level 3 lockdown, the team here made it possible for us to have our dog back and she rejoined us.”
On August 20, Sarah and Graham were rehoused at the Four Canoes Hotel through the iwi trust.
“We have no way or enough words to express our appreciation, gratitude and heartfelt thanks to say for the assistance they have shown toward our little family,” Sarah said.