Whangārei Kāinga Ora resident says not enough being done about problem neighbours

A resident in Kāinga Ora's Puriri Park subdivision in Maunu says her kids are now too scared to ride their bikes around the neighbourhood. Photo / Denise Piper

A tenant in Kāinga Ora’s Puriri Park who says she has faced threats, loud music and witnessed family violence believes not enough is done to remove problem neighbours.

Kāinga Ora says it investigates every complaint but has been unable to establish disruptive behaviour in this case. And another tenant in the subdivision says she has had no problems.

The woman said the antisocial behaviour means her children don’t feel safe riding around the neighbourhood, in Whangārei’s Maunu. To help protect her safety, the Northern Advocate has agreed not to reveal her name or details about her whānau.

The alleged issues include loud music playing until 10pm or 11pm stopping her young children from sleeping, family violence where police have been called, children throwing stones and balls at cars, and a small, aggressive dog on the loose.

One time a neighbour was heard yelling that someone had stolen her drugs.

The woman claims a neighbour also leaves her child, aged about 10, at home alone to look after two younger siblings.

The woman contacted both Kāinga Ora and Oranga Tamariki about the issues but has seen no action. She even escalated her complaints to MP Shane Reti and Housing Minister Chris Bishop, and said other neighbours have also complained.

In March, the Government changed Kāinga Ora’s policies to make it easier to evict unruly tenants who are persistently antisocial.

But the woman said the situation has intensified and claims last month a neighbour threatened her with violence.

“My kids haven’t been able to ride their bikes around this community ... Why should my kids be scared?”

The woman has installed security cameras on her house but is annoyed Kāinga Ora is not doing more to remove the “bad apples” from the previously wonderful community.

The woman is also concerned her Kāinga Ora manager has acted unprofessionally, including telling her the private details of another neighbour.

Kāinga Ora said it is committed to being a good landlord and it will not hesitate to issue a warning notice under the Residential Tenancies Act if there is evidence of serious disruptive behaviour. A customer’s tenancy can be ended if they receive three notices within 90 days.

Jeff Murray from Kāinga Ora says the agency will evict unruly tenants if it has the proof to do so. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Northland regional director Jeff Murray said action is taken to drive behaviour change and provide a clear deterrent: “If the behaviour does not change, we will end tenancies.”

Murray said the woman has been in contact on multiple occasions to raise concerns about neighbours at three different tenancies.

“We have looked into every one of their concerns. While privacy laws limit what we can share about these situations, in most cases, we have been either unable to substantiate claims or the behaviour has not met the threshold for taking action.”

People are encouraged to get in contact if they have any concerns about behaviour at a Kāinga Ora home, Murray said.

When a complaint is made, the organisation works hard to get a full picture of what happened, including looking at evidence and complaints made to other agencies and witnesses, he said.

Murray said housing support managers are very mindful of protecting privacy and do not share personal information with others.

For the most part, customers in Puriri Park have settled in well to the community and feedback is mainly positive, he said. The controversial 37-home subdivision attracted more than 300 written objections when first proposed.

Another Puriri Park resident, who lives at the opposite end to the woman who complained, said she has had no problems and feels lucky to have good neighbours.

Jomaria Harris-George, who lives in the subdivision with her partner and child, said she has never had a problem with the likes of loud music.

She often goes for a walk through the subdivision and said the only issue she has noticed is a small dog on the loose, which was aggressive to her partner.

Harris-George said she felt sympathy for the whānau having problems but said not all the tenants in Puriri Park are trouble.

The Northern Advocate attempted to contact the accused tenant for comment but was unable to make contact.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.