TJ Bateup, along with wife Lahana and their three children, recently moved into Bluewater Hotel - their fifth temporary accommodation in just five months. Photo / Warren Buckland
TJ Bateup, along with wife Lahana and their three children, recently moved into Bluewater Hotel - their fifth temporary accommodation in just five months. Photo / Warren Buckland
Lahana and TJ Bateup have packed up and moved their young family five times in two months.
The novelty of staying in emergency accommodation has well and truly worn off.
What Lahana wants more than anything is a place where she, TJ and their three children can unpack their bagswith confidence - a place they can be settled.
A line graph of the region's housing register over the past five years, collated by Hawke's Bay Today, shows the shocking reality of what Bateup is up against.
Five years ago she would have been competing with 152 other people on the register of those approved for but waiting for social housing, the Ministry of Social Development figures show. Now she's competing with 1513.
That's a an 889 per cent increase in five years.
In Hastings, the number of people on the register has risen from 57 in September 2015 to 637 in September 2020. In Napier it jumped from 79 to 747.
In Central Hawke's Bay, the number of people on the housing register has risen from six in September 2015 to 56 in September 2020, and Wairoa has had an increase from 11 to 73 in the same time period.
Bateup, who has been in emergency housing for more than two years, and her family are spending the festive season in Napier's Bluewater Hotel.
Over Labour Weekend she was asked to leave her room at a motel in Napier to make way for paying customers, starting her family's tour around emergency housing.
And with RSE workers on their way to the region to pick fruit, more moves are possible.
"It's not fair to be asked to move out for other guests, RSE workers or anyone," Bateup says. "It leaves us with nowhere to go. You're expected to pack everything up and find somewhere else."
TJ Bateup has been in emergency housing for over two years. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hawke's Bay has some of the highest levels of housing need in New Zealand in terms of population size.
Ministry of Social Development housing general manager Karen Hocking said there is a shortage of public and affordable housing throughout New Zealand.
However, Hocking said a major government programme to increase the supply of public housing and improve housing affordability and supply is under way.
Community Law CEO Sue Moroney said those in a position similar to Bateup's are often overlooked at this time of year.
"This worsens as motel operators favour holidaymakers over the homeless in the lucrative summer months," she said.
"The people they have accepted significant funding for suddenly find themselves evicted through no fault of their own."
Moroney has also called on the government agencies to ensure emergency housing providers meet basic standards.
Salvation Army social policy analyst Ronji Tanielu said the already "desperate times" often get worse over the summer months. Photo / File
Salvation Army social policy analyst Ronji Tanielu said already "desperate times" often get worse over the summer months.
Combined with the financial implications of Covid-19, Tanielu said it's "a perfect storm", with families often living away from support options, school and churches and among violence and gang culture.
"It's not a rosy 'the towels are being changed every morning' kind of thing. This is a basic solution that doesn't address some of the core issues families are facing," he said.
"You're not talking about a room that's geared up for a mum with her kids. It covers your head, it's away from the rain, but it's not always a home."
"We are losing ground in this battle," he added.
Bateup, who has lived in seven accommodations, said although grateful to have a roof over her head, there's a "severe lack of houses".
"We drive through towns and see plenty of people sleeping in their cars or on the streets," she said. "I'm just hoping our next place is a house."
Tanielu said the only solution is to build more houses in Hawke's Bay.
"To address these challenges, some of the main things we've said consistently are we need more social housing built that is fit-for-purpose for the need in the communities," he said.
Tanielu also called on greater government support for housing providers and those in social, transitional and emergency housing situations, as well as stronger Maori and iwi-led solutions.
Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said getting the district's residents out of temporary accommodation and into homes is a top priority. Photo / Paul Taylor
Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said getting whānau out of temporary accommodation and into their own homes is one of her council's highest priorities.
Hazlehurst said land had been freed up for affordable housing across the district, including in Flaxmere where development has started on 17 first homes and 18 public houses in Tarbet St.
Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga has also working on the Waingākau Village in Flaxmere West, where up to 120 sustainable houses are to be built.
Chief executive George Reedy said that although delivering homes was important, there was also a strong focus on providing pathways to home ownership for whānau.
"We're exploring ways we can support people into home ownership, through shared equity and rent-to-own options, and other innovative initiatives that will help people navigate the financial challenges in today's market," he said.
