NEW ZEALAND – A South Auckland man has opened his home to give temporary accommodation to homeless families. He’s one of many who have heeded the call from Mangere Bridge’s Te Puea Marae to help those in need.

Ihaka Rehu has opened up his home to house homeless families who are being sheltered at Te Puea Marae.

“I’m sitting here in my nice warm house, and there are people out there that’s sleeping in their cars, just didn’t feel right. So I felt like, I’ve got a spare room or a couple of rooms, and that I can go out there and help them.”

It’s been a week since Te Puea Marae opened its doors, and help is pouring in from both Maori and non-Maori.

Marae chairman Hurimoana Dennis says more help is need

“Some families who have big homes, we really hope they can have an available room, two, three or four,” he said.

So far, 54 families have received shelter from the marae.

The marae has established a support programme, alongside social agencies, to help those sleeping in cars and garages and on the street.

The marae has called a meeting of community groups, tertiary educators, churches and boarding organisations to discuss how they can help provide temporary accommodation for the families.

Hurimoana Dennis, who chairs the marae board, said the support had been overwhelming, but work still needed to be done.

“We’re looking quite wide and far in terms of what accommodation looks like. For a lot of people it looks like a house, but actually for the winter period, for this kaupapa perhaps, it could look like some spare bedrooms.

“We’re calling on universities, colleges and others – if you’ve got spare dormitories and hostels available.”

Dennis said a volunteer roster has been set up, and the marae was also calling for help with setting up an 0800 number.

A family with a newborn baby has been given shelter at the South Auckland marae after spending some of the first days of her life in a tent at Whakatane.

TVNZ reported that the baby’s mother, who asked to remain anonymous, said they had been sleeping rough for 18 months.

Meanwhile, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett has released more information about “a new mobile team” which she said last week would “reach out to homeless people in Auckland to make sure they are receiving all support they are eligible for”.

“Last night teams visited Bruce Pulman Park and Auckland City Mission to engage with those living homeless to ensure they had housing assessments, address the interim housing needs where possible and provide other assistance as appropriate,” a spokeswoman said.

Salvation Army Manukau community ministries director Pam Hughes said homeless people were wary of engaging with any state agency.

“These people are working,” she said. “They don’t want their employers or their families to know the condition that they are living in.”

Bennett’s office said MSD officials were focusing initially on “targeted areas where people are sleeping rough or in cars”.

“We will ensure that they have a social housing assessment and we will identify any immediate needs they may have,” the spokeswoman said.

“Initially this approach is providing insights into the needs of homeless people, and how best to meet their on-going needs.”

- PNC sources