Northland housing hui at Open Arms in Whangarei calls for better collaboration across the spectrum

Associate Housing Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Northland-based MP Willow-Jean Prime visiting Open Arms for Housing Hui. Photo / John Stone

Not enough money, difficult to understand laws and tough qualifying conditions - that's the message Associate Housing Minister Nanaia Mahuta was given at the Northland Housing Forum meeting yesterday.

Mahuta, with Northland-based MP Willow-Jean Prime, met with government and social housing representatives at the forum at Open Arms to talk through issues in social housing and to call for better collaboration between agencies.

Key points raised by various speakers revolved around insufficient funding, unnecessarily complicated legislation and high obstacles in accessing help for families in need.

Ange Tepania, Tai Tokerau Emergency Housing Charitable Trust manager, said the systematic process whānau had to follow to get into emergency housing was complex and stressful.

"Families need to provide evidence that they have exhausted all other options before we can help them which includes visiting a whole lot of organisations across town," Tepania said.

Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai along with other councillors attended the hui on Thursday. Photo / John Stone

Newly-elected Northland regional councillor and Kerikeri landowner Marty Robinson added a story about hosting several families on his property whose housing set-up didn't meet legal compliance.

He called on local and central government to alter legislation to meet contemporary housing styles.

Healthy Homes Tai Tokerau reported 10,000 newly insulated homes over 10 years with millions of dollars in returns on investment, mainly thanks to reduced visits to GPs and hospitals caused by cold and damp homes.

Despite the financial benefits their programme produces, Healthy Homes struggles to secure core funding to advance its work throughout the region.

Mahuta acknowledged concerns brought to the table and signalled the Government's willingness to connect various organisations across the housing spectrum, to take an integrated approach to improve services, and further to invest into social housing.

Whangārei District councillors and the mayor also attended the Housing Hui Open Arms. Photo / John Stone

She said work was under way to expand housing for low income families in the North.

"It's not enough, I know, because there's around 435 whānau waiting on the list right now," Mahuta said.