Homicide investigation under way at Kāinga Ora estate, Golriz Ghahraman faces a fourth charge as her court date gets pushed back and what sparked mass Albert Park evacuation in the latest NZ Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
Kāinga Ora has detailed the trouble caused by one of its residents at a complex where a man was killed yesterday, revealing it has been receiving complaints from neighbours for months.
Multiple people in the community told the Herald they were concerned one of the men they believed was involved in the homicide had been known to Kāinga Ora and police for at least a year before the incident.
“It could have been avoided,” neighbours say of the man’s death.
Kāinga Ora regional director for Central and East Auckland, John Tubberty, said they began receiving complaints about one of their residents at the estate in December.
“We contacted the [resident] to understand what was going on, and then contacted the [resident’s] family, police and health services to provide the support needed,” Tubberty said.
“We also issued a notice under the Residential Tenancies Act, making it clear that the behaviour of the [resident] was putting their tenancy at risk.
“The [resident] recently returned to their property after receiving support elsewhere.
“This has been a complex and challenging case for all the agencies, and it is a tragedy that it has ended in this way,” Tubberty said.
Tubberty’s statement followed residents’ comments to the Herald about a man’s erratic and antisocial behaviour at the complex, including walking up and down the street smashing letterboxes.
The Kāinga Ora estate, which consists of 20 one-bedroom units, is known to have had security issues in the past, including Kāinga Ora spending almost $300,000 on private security.
This morning, a neighbour who did not want to be named said a man was heard arguing loudly with a child the night before the death.
“Just that sort of [sound] when a child is trying to make up for what adults are doing - calling out constantly, but obviously used to this behaviour.”
“Some people just need to live … in a facility that can look after them,” she said.
Police and investigators remain at a Kāinga Ora complex that became the scene of a homicide yesterday afternoon. Photo / Jaime Lyth
She understood the man was living with a woman and two kids in a one-bedroom apartment in the weeks leading up to the incident.
Emergency services first responded to the “disorder incident” on He Ana Way in Mt Albert, Auckland about 1.15pm yesterday.
Police found one person in a critical condition and another who was seriously injured. Hato Hone St John Ambulance took one person to Auckland City Hospital, while the other man died at the scene.
The apartments were not designed to house families, which was part of the agreement with the community when the complex was built.
She claimed Kāinga Ora knew this and neverthless allowed the family to live there.
“Kainga Ora is absolutely irresponsible and is using the police as tenancy managers.
”It happens over and over again, and they don’t do anything.”
Detective Senior Sergeant Lisa Anderson said police had not arrested anybody, but stated the two victims were known to each other and police did not believe there was a wider risk to the public.
“Police will have a visible presence in Mount Albert as our investigation progresses,” Anderson said.
“We will be speaking to those in the area who witnessed what has occurred, and we encourage anyone else with information that may assist to please contact police as soon as possible.”
‘Bodyguards here for months’: Residents talk of troublesome neighbour
Trouble at the housing estate, built in 2019, is not something new, as Kāinga Ora spent almost $300,000 on security guards to ease concerns about one resident, newsroom.co.nz reported.
Kāinga Ora’s Tubberty confirmed the homicide happened at one of the state housing provider’s properties.
He wouldn’t be drawn on security concerns at the complex, saying any further questions should be directed to police.
One person was left dead following a "disorder" incident in Mt Albert yesterday. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Security guards were stationed at the complex during the Covid-19 lockdowns, and it remains unclear whether these measures were still in place.
Residents in the area, where homes neighbouring the development are valued at $2 million, who spoke to the Herald after the homicide reported near-constant trouble.
Kāinga Ora earlier told newsroom.co.nz the security guards were “deployed at this site to mitigate any antisocial behaviour. The primary focus is to provide for the safety and security of vulnerable tenants”.
Shortly after the homicide, the Herald could still hear shouts coming from inside the building. Several neighbours stood on their balconies, in the rain, watching police cordon off entrances to their properties.
One resident said she had lived on the street for some 30 years and had never experienced an incident like this.
Another, who asked not to be named because of fears for their safety, said Kāinga Ora refused to answer their complaints about the ongoing poor behaviour of some tenants living in the complex.
“We had bodyguards here for months,” he said. “There was a lot of smashing, but this has been escalating and escalating.”
People nearby told the Herald they heard a smashing sound and yelling before emergency services arrived.
“If they [Kāinga Ora] actually dealt with stuff, it would be a deterrent to others,” the concerned resident said.
Tubberty said: “We’re carrying out welfare checks with our customers and we’ll be talking with others living in the immediate area to provide any support needed, as this will be distressing for our people.”
Jaime Lyth is a multi-media journalist for the New Zealand Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news.
