Graeme Hewitt says his Government-run transitional housing flat at 2six5 on Fenton has a rodent problem. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Graeme Hewitt says his Government-run transitional housing flat at 2six5 on Fenton has a rodent problem. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Graeme Hewitt lives in a Rotorua Government-owned transitional housing complex that has cost taxpayers millions but can’t keep his personal belongings in the bathroom drawers because of a rodent problem.
Hewitt, 70, lives at 2six5 on Fenton - the former Boulevard Motel - and suffers from medical issues which require daily home help.
Hewitt said he complained about rodents more than two months ago and after getting fed up with no action approached the Rotorua Daily Post this week.
The rodent faeces in Graeme Hewitt's bathroom drawers. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Wera Aotearoa Charitable Trust, the social services agency that manages the site on behalf of the Government, said according to its records it was notified on September 3 and again on September 23.
Following questions from the Rotorua Daily Post yesterday, property owner Kāinga Ora has confirmed it will today send a pest management expert to the property.
The former Boulevard Motel that is now 2six5 on Fenton, a transitional housing property. Photo / Andrew Warner
Kāinga Ora bought the motel in 2021 for $8.1 million and has spent $3m turning it into transitional housing units.
The transitional housing property opened in August 2022 and was renamed 2six5 on Fenton. It has 30 self-contained units, ranging in size from studios to a five-bedroom house.
People living in transitional housing contribute 25% of their income, in line with emergency housing special needs grants. The balance is subsidised to providers by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the ministry contracts social service agencies to offer help to get people into permanent housing.
The outside of 2six5 on Fenton. Photo / Andrew Warner
Hewitt said he had lived at the property for about 14 months, having spent a year in an emergency housing motel previously after separating from his wife in Whakatāne.
“I’ve got mice coming through the walls of the unit. As soon as you clean it up, it’s back and they’ve done nothing about it.”
He said he was unable to close his bathroom drawers let alone store any of his items in them. He said he cleaned out the drawers and within hours rodent droppings were back.
The rodent faeces. Photo / Kelly Makiha
“I can’t put the drawers back in or keep my flannels, towels and hand towels in there because they poo all through it. I have to keep washing them. I can’t keep the toilet paper in the cupboards because they chew up all that.”
He said he could hear them scratching and running around as he tried to sleep at night.
Despite lots of money being spent on the units, it was Hewitt’s opinion they were not up to standard. He said when the wind blew outside, the curtains blew inside - which he said showed there were issues.
Graeme Hewitt lives at 2six5 on Fenton where there is a rodent issue. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Wera Aotearoa Charitable Trust chief executive Israel Hawkins said they tried to contact Hewitt after being sent a photograph of what appeared to be mouse droppings.
“Our duty of care and awhi to our people we serve is paramount and we have made multiple attempts to contact the client in person, and via phone and text message, to gain access to the unit to try resolve these concerns.”
A Kāinga Ora spokesperson said they went to Hewitt’s house yesterday and a further pest investigation to find the rodents’ entry point was planned for today.
Hawkins said there were regular “pā hui with whānau at the property” and no further requests for pest control had been made.
However, Hewitt said they used to have regular meetings but the only one this year he was aware of was about six weeks ago and only seven residents showed up. To his knowledge, the last one was the Christmas function last year.
Wera Aotearoa Charitable Trust on Pukuatua St. Photo / Andrew Warner
In response to Hewitt’s criticism about Wera and the units, Hawkins said Wera took its role seriously.
He said while he couldn’t comment about Hewitt’s specific case, support included regular engagement and welfare checks up to three times a week, printouts of available rental properties, support with Kāinga Ora recommendations for referral for appropriate properties, prioritising accommodation in accessible units and wider legal and wellbeing support.
He said to the best of his knowledge from regular site visits and hui with clients, all the units at the property were fit for purpose and compliant with health and safety regulations.
A Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development spokesman said the ministry conducted regular monitoring of its providers and was satisfied with Wera’s performance.
“HUD understands there is currently a rodent issue at 2six5 and is assured Wera is doing all it can to resolve this issue with urgency.”
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
