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A new transitional housing facility was opened today in Henderson, west Auckland.
Established by E Tipu e Rea Whānau Services, the housing facility is based on a papakāinga model and caters for homeless young māmā and couples who have or are expecting children.
Chief executive Zoe Witika-Hawke (Ngāti hako, Ngāti Paoa) says the homes are not simply a place to sleep because the residents will have all the necessary resources they need.
“We have midwifery, childhood immunisations, tamariki ora, social support, and we advocate for them regarding social benefits.
“And they do trust us, and it’s taken a long time to build that trust, because they have been hurt by other services,” she says.
Witika-Hawke says her kaimahi witness daily the dire housing situation for whānau in Aotearoa and the struggle to secure accommodation, particularly for young parents and their babies....