The Government today announced an annual $2 billion Family Incomes Package to help around 1.3 million families by, on average $26 per week. This follows its $2.23billion state-led housing building programme for 34,000 new Auckland homes, but Roturua locals say the regions are also in need.
Wetini Mitai-Ngātai says he and his wife are looking at options to help the most vulnerable in their community.
"First it's the government's responsibility to help these people but we can see more help is needed so that's when some of us in the community step in to help."
Mitai-Ngātai and his wife are looking to potentially replicate a Tauranga emergency housing project. He says it's needed given the average house value in Rotorua sits just under $400,000 and the town has the second highest rate of homeless per capita.
He says "it's not that these people don't have work or have money it's that there is a shortage of houses available and the high cost to buy a home."
Finance Minister Steven Joyce says the Family Incomes Package is carefully designed to assist low and middle income earners with young families and higher housing costs by changing tax thresholds, Working for Families and the Accommodation Supplement to help them get ahead.
"They could maybe give a little more to help them out,” Mitai-Ngātai says.
Rotorua can expect 37 transitional houses by the end of the year and 80 new social housing properties over the next three years. The Family Incomes Package will start April next year.
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