Te Puea marae to help homeless with Government support this winter

Homeless father of four, Tony Lepage with his 2 year-old son Tangaroa, sought accommodation at Te Puea Marae, last year after the family had to sleep in the car. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Te Puea Marae are opening their doors to the vulnerable and homeless once again this winter.

From July 18 the marae will take in families and help them get back on their feet over six to 12 weeks.

Last year they helped 181 people, including 104 children, using 1200 volunteers over three months. They found accommodation for 130.

Te Puea Marae chairman Hurimoana Dennis oversaw the marae help almost 200 people into homes last year. Photo / Greg Bowker

Te Puea chairman Hurimoana Dennis said this year the programme would be more intimate. They will only take families from Mangere and have capacity for 25 people at a time.

"We're focusing on quality. We're not too worried about quantity. We want our families to arrive at their whare in a good state. We'll refloat them into the community."

Dennis said they wouldn't be taking in rough sleepers, instead looking to care for parents and children. He predicted most of them would be coming from motels and overcrowded situations.

Te Puea have partnered with the Government and will receive $125,000 for five modular cabins on site. This will include support services and rental subsidies for the five places, Social Housing Minister Amy Adams said.

The funding comes from the Government's $354 million investment to support 8600 families a year with transitional housing.

"This innovative housing programme is providing safe and warm housing, and also targeted support to help people and families find and sustain long-term housing," Adams said.

Associate Social Housing Minister Alfred Ngaro believed this would get families back on their feet.

"I'm pleased that all the hard work that's been going on behind the scenes means that we're now able to help the team at Te Puea fulfil its ambitions of supporting families needing housing."