Northland housing crisis: Govt move 'decreasing the rental pool'

Temania Clark-Burnett stands inside her makeshift kitchen, which is separate from the cabin that she and her 1-month-old baby live in. Photo / Liam Rātana

Prospective renters in Te Tai Tokerau are set to have even more difficulty finding somewhere to live, following the Government's recent announcements around how they plan to counter the housing crisis, a representative for landlords says.

With more people in Aotearoa owning multiple properties than those who own just one, the recent housing announcements have been targeted towards dissuading prospective investors from purchasing more property. Whilst much has been reported on the effects of these changes for property investors, little has been said about how they will affect those currently searching for a home to rent.

"I can't see it increasing the rental pool. I can see it decreasing the rental pool and we actually have a massive shortage already," says Northland Property Investors' Association president Mike Tasker.

According to figures recently released by Trade Me, demand for rental properties in Te Tai Tokerau has increased by 35 per cent since February last year. Concurrently, median weekly rent prices in the region have increased above $500 for the first time. According to the 2018 Census, the median weekly income in Northland is just $476.

"They [rental prices] are going through the roof ... I'm not going to buy any more [houses to rent]. I can't imagine many others will be buying more any time soon," Tasker says.

"I've got tenants that I'm moving along and they're having all sorts of problems getting a property and if they do, it's at least $100 more a week than what they're paying now."

With a severe shortage of rental housing in the region and an increasing population, many Northlanders have been forced into temporary housing situations, or have ended up homeless. One such example is Selina Simon, who was forced to live in a tent on Ruakākā Beach after having to leave her rental house. The 28-year-old solo mother of one would venture to the beach as the sun was setting, putting up her tent, and leave early the next morning before it rose again.

"I moved to the beach in a tent. I left my daughter in my mum's care but she only had room for my daughter," Simon says.

Homeless woman Selina Simon cannot find rental property for her and her child. Photo / Tania Whyte

"When I was sleeping in the tent, all my stuff got ruined during a big storm. It wasn't waterproof and because it was so windy on the beach, my tent ended up ripping."

Simon has been searching for a rental property for over a year now. She claims landlords give preferential treatment to those in employment, unfairly disadvantaging people like herself who are struggling to find work.

"I've got to ring up every single day just to put myself out there and remind people that I really do need a house, which I do. That's what I do on the daily. There's not a day I have a break," says Simon.

"My family watched me break down nearly every day. It is sad, only because I want my daughter with me but I can't. I have to go and visit her and that's not what I want. I want a home for me and my baby."

Unfortunately, stories like Simon's are all too common in Te Tai Tokerau. Temania Clark-Burnett is a 23-year-old solo mother of a 1-month-old baby boy. She currently lives in a small cabin at the back of her landlord's property, paying more than 40 per cent of her weekly income in rent alone.

"I've been looking for a house since May last year," Clark-Burnett says.

Temania Clark-Burnett stands inside her makeshift kitchen, which is separate from the cabin that she and her 1-month-old baby live in. Photo / Liam Rātana

After staying in a room in a boarding house on Maunu Rd, Clark-Burnett moved into the cabin, offered to her by her landlord. Although the new mum says the cabin is infested with rats, has a leaking shower and is extremely cold at night, Clark-Burnett took the offer because it was larger than the room she was in, and she had a baby on the way.

"I can't even have tummy time with him. I can't even put him down because there's no space," says Clark-Burnett.

"There are hundreds of people ahead of you on the public housing waitlist, so you apply for a private one and have no luck there. It's so hard in Whangārei just to find a house ... There are around 150-200 people at house viewings. It's stupid."

Similar to Simon, Clark-Burnett says she often feels discriminated against by landlords due to her lack of employment. The young mother graduated from NorthTec last year with a New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4), in the hope her qualification would lead to employment.

The room that Temania Clark-Burnett and her newborn baby currently live in. She says it is infested with rats, has a leaky shower and is extremely cold at night. Photo / Liam Rātana

"Hopefully I can get a good job with my cooking certificates, so we can get a house. Maybe they'll change their minds instead of declining me because I'm on a benefit," says Clark-Burnett.

"They [landlords] look at you like you're going to party and wreck the house or something because you're young. I just want a stable home for my kid."

Despite the dire housing situation, there may be some hope on the horizon for those struggling to find a place to live. Yesterday, Associate Housing Minister Marama Davidson announced around $4 million in funding support for new initiatives that will "prevent and reduce homelessness" in Whangārei, Auckland, Napier, Hastings, Rotorua, and the Hutt Valley. The money is part of the first round of funding from the Government's $16.6m Local Innovation and Partnership Fund, which is a key part of their Homelessness Action Plan.

One Double Five Whare Awhina Community House, a community hub based in Whangārei with a range of services available to support whānau, is one of the grant recipients. They are partnering with Mahitahi Hauora, Whangārei Youth Space, Ngāti Hine Health Trust and Pehiāweri Marae to help deliver vital services to those in need.

One Double Five Whare Awhina Community House chief executive Liz Cassidy-Nelson says that a lack of affordable, good-quality housing is not a new problem. She encourages the Government to step up to the plate and deliver tangible solutions for those needing a roof over their heads.

"Everybody's struggling to find a rental. Many people can't even dream of having a first home. The issue is, social housing is the responsibility of the Government. Our Government needs to build more social houses," Cassidy-Nelson says.

Clark-Burnett supports calls for the Government to deliver better solutions, saying: "They [the Government] should have more support for us. Are they just going to chuck us in a motel and expect us to wait another year for them to put us in a house? It's sad. We shouldn't be living like this."

While the Government's latest announcements are set to benefit first-home buyers, there still appears to be large gaps in policy around supporting those struggling to find a place to call home.

"Where am I going to find the money to buy a house?" Clark-Burnett says.