The Housing Crises walked into my home
In my home I had a spare room and, to put my money where my mouth is, a lady has taken it who has had a pretty hard time in life.
As she was moving-in I chatted to the gentleman who was helping her.
– “Bob” is 55yo and looks 75.
– He is a solo dad with a ten-year-old son whom he is exceedingly proud of.
– He told me that they have been housed in a run-down motel in Te Awamutu for three (3) years. Well over 1,000 days.
– And speaking of 1,000 that is how much money the taxpayer pays each week for this shoddy motel room. Yes – $1,000 a week. Yes – housing “Bob & son” has cost the taxpayer $156,000 over the last three years.
How have we, as a nation, got to this point? I have no doubt (but also no details) that “Bob” has not lived a perfect life – but does he, and his ten year old son, deserve this open prison? His son is the only child in the motel complex.
Help! Someone? Anyone?
As a highly connected aside. New Zealand has the worst homeless stats of the OECD.
By comparison on percentage of homeless:
Japan – 0.00% Population Density of 338.2 people per square km.
Israel – 0.04% Population Density of 400 people per square km.
NZ – 0.86% Population Density of 18 people per square km.
Alwyn Poole
alwyn.poole@gmail.com
Innovative Education Consultants