July 26, 2021
Wrong place, wrong plan for Rotorua motel buy
Rotorua district councillor and Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency chair Merepeka Raukawa Tait is unhappy at Kainga Ora’s purchase of a sulphur city motel to turn into emergency accommodation.
She says Rotorua is still a tourism town, and plonking a facility for the homeless in the middle of the main street isn’t right for either the homeless or the city.
She believes Kainga Ora and other government agencies have mishandled their response to the housing and homeless crisis in the region.
"Many of these people have high and complex needs, they're wandering the streets now. The rate of break ins and anti-social behaviour and criminal behaviour has escalated and it has caused considerable backlash. Those impacts could have been anticipated. They needn't have happened. I get hōhā when these agencies come into town and say 'we can fix this.' No they can't. Twelve months down the track and they've made it bloody worse," Ms Raukawa Tait says.
She says the agencies say they offer wraparound support, but they never seem to be there in times of crisis.
Copyright © 2021, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com