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National | Homeless

Tauranga Māori Trust Board offers building to homeless

Tauranga Māori Trust Board has loaned out a vacant office building to help shelter the homeless in the region.

Te Tuinga support services will take charge of the project with the aim of helping whānau back on their feet.

Alana Dahm has been house hunting for the past six weeks.  The shelter is now her saving grace.

“My babies want a place that they want to call home,” says Dahm.

Three months ago, the Tauranga Moana Māori Trust Board loaned this vacant office building on McLean Street to Te Tuinga support services rent-free for a year to help families in need.

“It's not about (saying) you need parenting, you need budgeting, you need this, you need that, says Pikiteora Whanau-Russell (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Nga Rauru), “It's about asking the question: what is it that you want to do?”

Up to four families can stay here at one time.  Currently, two families are here with five children each and they're all under the caring and watchful eye of Whānau-Russell.

“There's this thinking that says that people just need a house,” says Whānau-Russell, “No, it's not about that.  You know, people are where they are because there are other things that need to be done and that's what Whare Tauranga provides.”

Pikiteora loves to help people in need, but she's stern on house rules. Families must be drug and alcohol free with access to social services.

“There is no cost for them to stay here, but they do contribute money for food,” says Rangi Ahipene (Ngāti Tūwharetoa).

This support services is looking at using their model of Whare Tauranga as a template with the aim of sharing with other towns and cities in NZ.