Hunger, homelessness the new norm

Government funding to charities cut, while demand for social services soars.
Some clients paying 70% of their income in rent.

RNZ 23/6/16

Housing trust says $5000 offer crap

RNZ
20/6/16

Monte Cecilia housing trust spokesman advises not to take up offer unless exsisting family in the area, or job offer.

$5000 goes to the MOVING COMPANY (because poor people don't just sell old stuff and buy new old stuff to save moving costs, instead they would prefer to pay $5K to move an entire houselot worth $20K...?)

Those with mental health issues, parol issues etc are excluded from the offer.

Only $2K is left to settle into new community which is barely enough to cover costs such as school uniforms.

Worst of all, the housing on offer is apparently in "hard to let" areas.  In other words the locals don't want it - probably with good reason.  

11 year old girl living in van tells her story

An entire family including an 11 year old girl living in their van and showering at Mum's work before anyone comes in.

"It's not actually that easy", she says.

RNZ Checkpoint 8/6/16
Interviewer:  John Campbell

Wgtn joins boom, and how a housing crisis was tackled in 1930s NZ

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/80721116/dave-armstrong-boom-welington-joins-our-national-housing-shame


http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/opinion/80750389/New-Zealand-in-the-1930s-tackled-a-housing-crisis-humanely

Second marae offers to assist

Second marae steps up to help homeless
RNZ 3/6/16

Manurewa Marae Photo: www.manurewamarae.co.nz

Manurewa Marae is to help Te Puea Marae with the overflow of people they aren't able to take in.

Te Puea Marae began offering shelter to the homeless last month and has since launched a support programme for those looking for help, called Manaaki Tangata.

Te Puea Marae now has a waiting list of people wanting to stay there and Manurewa Marae board member Rangi McLean said they were happy to help.

"It's our privilege to answer the call from the ahi kaa marae, manawhenua marae, Te Puea, in their request for assistance to help the families that are living on the streets and to help with the overflow."

Manurewa Marae hopes to open up as soon as next week, but were working with Te Puea Marae to ensure they have the right services in place first.

"We need to look at what we need to put in place here first before we start accepting families."

He said they were receiving advice from Te Puea Marae and their staff were liasing and working with them.

"We're going to concentrate on and accommodate the extra families from Te Puea first, and then look at how we're going to open it up wider."

Mr McLean said the government had to be put on notice, because they were not going to keep their doors open all the time.

"Once the wintertime period is over the government better work with our marae staff and to start housing the families that we've taken on."

Manurewa Marae board member Rangi McLean.Photo: SUPPLIED

Mr Mclean said if they open up all their facilities Manurewa Marae can sleep up to 350 people.

But he said if they go down that track they'd expect the government to fund it, because it would take away their ability to raise the funds to cover the marae overheads.

He said they would be able to continue to hire out the marae as they had space downstairs where people would be able to stay, and on occasion when the top part of the marae is free they can move them up there.

Manurewa Marae will use their own resources to help the families but people are already dropping off donations to the marae.

"As Māori and as marae that's what we rely on, whanaungatanga and koha and at this stage that's how we are going to fund the kaupapa."

Mr McLean doesn't think all marae should open their doors as he knows not all marae can afford to and said it should be up to each individual marae.

PM's remarks undermine Sallies relationship with homeless

How embarrassing.

Key made statements today that MSD worked alongside the Salvation Army visiting homeless in an Auckland park when in fact nothing of the sort occurred.  

Worse IMHO is the description of [government?] "flying squads" which I'm certain don't sound at all threatening to disenfranchised people who have been mercilessly kicked in the teeth by multiple government agencies before finally coming to rest in their car.

Already we are seeing the homeless being portrayed as victims who can't manage their own affairs.  When you can't blame the City Council anymore, blame the victim.  Ugh.


RNZ 3.6.16
"We want people to know we work carefully with people",  Ian Hutson, Salvation Army Divisional Commander

Connectography - something to think about when building thousands of homes

Interview starts a few minutes in.

Creating wealth show 2/6/16
Jason Hartman speaks to Parag Khanna author of  Connectography - mapping the future of civilization.

Begins with explaining that the level of connectivity is a force.  Suggests reorganising the US around connectivity.