After six months things were getting "really tight" so he went into Work and Income to get a benefit. They referred him to the Tāmaki Job and Skills Hub in March. The Hub has helped 29 people into employment since it started last November. A further 56 people have been employed through Tāmaki Career Start.
"I didn't realise how hard it'd be to get another job," Radovanovich said.
"But when I went into the Hub I had an interview, then 10 minutes later I had a job interview with Matt."
"I'd rather be out working than go on the dole. I've been working all my life."
Union Demolition hired Radovanovich, who plans to stay in the job "as long as they want me".
Union Demolition spokesman Matt Goddard saw Radovanovich's age as an asset. He was hired as a demolition labourer but is now doing maintenance and repairs on machinery due to his skills in welding, Goddard said.
"Being a bit older and more mature he's great - he turns up every day, he's never late and never drunk.
"I think he's excellent ... The best thing is we've seen his confidence grow."
Goddard has hired two other employees from the Hub and intended to employ through it again.
The Hub was set with the aim to get locals into jobs. They assess, upskill and match the resident with an employer.
TRC general manager Shelley Katae said the programmes arose out of need.
"There's a high unemployment rate yet we're so close to employment opportunities. We're trying to support locals into those opportunities."
Katae said the barriers to employment can be quite simple. She had one girl who had an interview for a job that suited her perfectly in Henderson. But she didn't turn up for the interview. They later found out she had almost never travelled outside Tamaki in her life. She was scared and didn't know how to use public transport.
"It's the type of barrier we're trying to deeply understand to help them reach their employment goals," Katae told the Herald.
Hub training spokesman Andy Cowan said when someone turns up on their door step they assess how ready they are for the job market plus what their talents and passions are. The Hub then up skills them with courses like Site Safe, first aid, helps them get their driver's licence, work experience and job trials
The Hub then finds a good employer match for the client.
"We have to be a lot more personal", Cowan said.
"We want them to feel like they're welcome... We want to work with anyone who comes through the door.
"If you get one person into work you don't just change that person. You change that family."
Construction, demolition, civil works, hospitality, warehousing and aged care are some of the jobs residents have been placed in.
The Career Start programme is for 16 to 24 year olds and has had 229 youth employed since it began in 2013. It also helped 45 youth get their driver's license this year.
The project
The Tamaki Regeneration Company is a social project redeveloping 2500 rundown state houses into 7500 new, modern homes over the next 10-15 years across Glen Innes, Point England and Panmure.
One third of these will be social houses, one quarter will be sold as affordable homes and the rest will be sold as full market homes.
There are 300 state homes in the development area that will remain as is because they are in a good condition.
TRC have four objectives; housing, spacing (parks and roads), social development and economic outcomes. Around 200 new homes have been built so far.
They are involved in a large range of projects. They spent $270,000 to refurbish the old scout hall and built a new early childhood care centre last year. The centre has been full since it opened.
They're currently looking at ways to implement a social enterprise that recycles building materials from the old state homes.
"We're quite broad in what we're trying to achieve," Katae told the Herald.
"The true test is can we collaborate together for locals to achieve their aspirations?"
