The Rawiri Community House is fighting to stay open out of fear locals and vulnerable whānau will lose vital support as they near an eviction date issued by Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities (KO).
The community organisation on Rata Vine Drive was told last year that they would need to move out by the end of June, with KO confirming in a statement that the three-room building will be turned into a social home to house one family due to growing housing demand.
KO states that over 2,400 applicants on the Ministry of Social Development’s Housing Register are waiting for a home in the area, and over 99 percent of KO homes are tenanted.
Co-founder Liz Kiriona says the news felt like a “kick in the guts.”
“One roof to house maybe four people, or one roof that helps thousands throughout New Zealand, not just our community - it doesn’t make sense,” says Kiriona.
“To think that all of the work we’ve done over the years and the majority of those we support are KO tenants.”
The centre has been around for nearly two decades, providing daily food support to the community, advocacy and support services, driver licensing, and first response across the Ahipara to Blenheim boundary and in between.
Kiriona co-founded the service in the early 2000s when her children became impacted by community life, her first move to apply for an alcohol ban in the area and later organise a neighbourhood policing team to patrol.
“We’ve done street makeovers, clean-ups, everything,” says Kiriona.
She says delivery drivers were “too afraid” to enter the area, tenants locked themselves in their homes, and alcohol and gangs were a big issue.
Kiriona says the house has since built trust in the community and has done a lot to make the area safe, stating she believes they have saved KO thousands of dollars.
“Right down to maintenance done in the homes that wasn’t done properly. We went in and did the job properly,” she says.
Grandmother Nadine Ledingham sought help from the home six years ago after losing her husband and was struggling to feed four grandchildren in her care with her pension.
“I swallowed my pride and went in to ask for food to feed the kids - I was really at my wits’ end. The first thing Liz said to me was, “The first thing you need is a hug.”
From there, the house supported Ledingham to access the right services. She had spent 3-4 years helping to bake 200 muffins per week for the community and is now a kaiako for their weekly weaving class.
“I was absolutely devastated [to hear the news] because I’ve been there, I know what it’s like to feel like there’s no help, there’s nowhere to turn,” she says.
“Rawiri matters, it holds our community together, and if we lose it, it will be felt deeply not just by me but hundreds and hundreds of families that come to rely on this place every day”.
The lease is currently being paid for with the support of Auckland Council, which says they have met with KO at several different levels within the council to discuss retaining the home, but have received a ‘no’ each time.
The Council is trying to find an alternative property within the area, but says they haven’t found any solutions.
A peaceful march is planned for 14 April, where community members will walk from the house to the Manukau Kāinga Ora with their petition to stay open.
“KO workers will not be targeted. We’re not about that, it’s not their fault, they’re not the ones who are making the decisions,” says Kiriona.
An email was sent to the Minister for Māori Development, Tama Pōtaka, and Minister of Housing, Chris Bishop, inviting them to attend and receive the paper petition. Both have since acknowledged the request.
The online petition has amassed over 3,300 signatures, with numbers from the written petition yet to be included.
“I’m hoping that the ministers do hear us, do see us. I’d love to get them to come out and see for themselves what we do, but it’s more about our whānau. What’s gonna happen to them?” says Kiriona.
