A cancer patient and his family were told they had to move from their state home of 25 years - likely into two seperate houses - a week after their mother died.
The Auckland family were given a notice to end tenancy, in June, after Housing New Zealand was notifiedtheir mother, Karen Kiel, 59, had died from a chest infection.
A week after her death on June 27, the family notified HNZ of her passing and were then given 21 days notice to vacate the Manurewa property.
The family was given an extension from the original date of July 25, till August 7 and after the Herald contacted the Ministry of Social Development the tenancy was extended for a further two weeks.
Kiel's son Deejay Matthews, 38, whose older brother had cancer, said the situation was "ridiculous" as it threatened to break up the vulnerable family who have lived in the Manurewa home for 25 years.
His family had been put on an "urgent waiting list" for two separate houses, a modified three-bedroom property and a unmodified one-bedroom one, but so far none has been found.
Deejay Matthews with his brother Hubertiss Matthews who is mentally disabled, riddled with cancer and being kicked out of his Manurewa home along with his caregivers. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Matthews' older brother, Hubertiss, 40, his father and nephew - who shared caregiving responsibilities - were put on an urgent wait list for the modified three-bedroom house.
Meanwhile, Hubertiss' 19-year-old nephew was put on the waitlist for the one-bedroom house, while another 14-year-old nephew was told he had to go live with his father.
The boys had been living as part of the blended family in the four-bedroom state house - which had been modified four years ago for Karen Kiel, who needed a ramp, walk-in shower and handrails to get around.
Matthews said his brother Hubertiss, also relied on the modifications.
The family faced being put in temporary emergency accommodation until new homes were found - which Matthews said would not be suitable for his brother's needs.
Hubertiss has had cancer for 17 years and it was in his bones, brain and spine. His head was bumpy with scar tissue from countless operations.
When he was 12 he was given just six months to live but is going to turn 40 next month. He is mentally delayed, almost deaf and has fragile mobility. He frequently falls and gets seizures. He needs 24-hour care Matthews told the Herald.
"He does things like leaves the water running, he leaves the stove on, he's lucky there are people here to keep an eye on him because he can't hear the smoke alarms.
"We've almost lost him many times. It's been a blessing he's still with us."
But Matthews was worried for Hubertiss' welfare if they are made to stay in unmodified emergency accommodation while the family wait for another state home.
Hubertiss' GP issued a letter advising that it was in his patient's best interest to stay in the same house.
Matthews was upset at how disruptive the system was for families like his.
"I'm really hurt about how this system is set up where they have to be out in emergency housing when they're already in housing that they qualify for.
"The solution is just let them be where they are ... They're putting a family out on the street."
Ministry of Social Development spokeswoman Kay Read said the priority was Hubertiss' and it did "not include the wider family unit that are staying there".
She said Matthews had been advised the social housing application was being progressed based on the support Hubertiss needed.
The family's situation was not an isolated incident, Auckland Action Against Poverty co-ordinator Vanessa Cole said.
"We're seeing more and more cases of people get evicted after their family member passes away.
"Nobody has secure tenure anymore. Tenants are becoming transient and getting evicted from their homes, communities and networks."
Cole said the eviction notices often came soon after a loved one had died and added extra pain and stress to the situation as family were made to vacate a house full of memories.
From 2013 to 2016 the number of tenants issued a 90-day end-of-tenancy notice sat between 306 to 373. This increased to 634 tenants in the 2016/2017 period.
Housing New Zealand regional manager Karen Hitchcock said it was important to know the family was not being evicted.
"Eviction is a formal legal process undertaken via the courts. Housing New Zealand very rarely evicts tenants."
She said the agency would be working with the family to ensure a "suitable solution is reached".
