KEY POINTS:
Residents of an Auckland street were overjoyed yesterday to hear Housing New Zealand will evict a household of gang-affiliated tenants terrorising their neighbourhood.
But tenancy laws mean it could be weeks or even months until they are actually kicked out - and some believe Housing New Zealand should have acted earlier.
Housing Minister Chris Carter said an application to evict the tenants of a Range View Rd, Owairaka, house had been made on Friday.
Yesterday, 10 police officers raided the house. Only one man, aged 17, was arrested, on an historic common assault charge. He was later bailed.
Neighbours accuse the tenants, allegedly five youth gang members aged 16-25 and their parents, of intimidation, property damage, assault and drug dealing. The tenants are said to be known to police.
Earlier this week residents spoke out about their constant fear of the neighbours from hell. And, after hearing news of the eviction, one woman fought back tears.
But she was still fearful. "I don't want them to see you here," she told the Herald on Sunday. "I have to protect my children."
People at the house concerned appeared laid-back despite the drama, although they would not comment on the eviction, referring questions to a lawyer, who did not return calls.
Carter could not give a time frame for a tenancy tribunal hearing, but said the tenants had a right to defend the allegations. "We anticipate it won't be a long process."
He said the tenants were served a breach of tenancy notice in January after noisy parties. But the noise stopped and no more notices of that kind could be issued.
In April, Housing New Zealand staff inspected the property after continued complaints from neighbours. "No evidence of illegal activities was found but we don't have the forensics the police have. We asked police to inspect the property and are satisfied we now have the evidence we need."
Andrew King, president of the Auckland Property Investors' Association representing 90,000 landlords, said getting rid of bad tenants was notoriously tricky. "It is one of bugbears we have been complaining about for a long time."
He said he knew of cases this year where landlords had to wait two months for a tenancy tribunal hearing.
Yesterday, neighbours too fearful to give their names spoke of daily terror in the street. Assaults, property damage, theft and intimidation were common, they said.
One said if the trouble-makers weren't gone soon, it would be her family who would have to find somewhere else to live. "I'm scared to go out at night."
Another, a Range View Rd resident for 23 years, said she'd "had enough". Her letterbox had been smashed, her windows broken and she was too frightened to open the security door to visitors. She said: "Why has it taken for the press to come out here to get something done?"
