Rotorua residents were heard by the commissioner over three days.
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Rotorua residents have spoken out against the use of motels as emergency housing at a hearing to decide whether to extend government contracts at seven motels for another year.

Independent Commissioner David Hill spent three days listening to those who submitted their submissions and their concerns.

For some participants, like Dianna Raukawa Doughty, it was an emotional experience.

“We’ve been threatened, we’ve been verbally abused and we’ve witnessed child abuse,” she told the hearing.

Doughty said the whole experience was exhausting and she gave up on being heard.

“I wasn’t even going to talk today because I thought what’s the point?”

Of the 176 comments received, only one was in support extension.

It came from Peniel Elliot, whose home adjoins several properties providing emergency housing.

“You know, as flawed as it is, (contracted emergency housing) still provides the critical service of temporary shelter for those who need it most,” Elliot said.

She said forcing people out would make social problems worse.

“They would be forced to live in unsafe conditions, which I think will (exacerbate) the impact on our city and the wider community and also make it even more difficult to achieve long-term solutions when they become invisible in society our. “

Manuariki Tini spoke on behalf of Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao.

She said her people have been receiving visitors from all over the world for many years.

“We wave, we wave, we smile, all while fearing that their car windows might be smashed or that their entire vehicle might disappear during our tour,” she said.

176 comments were received on this issue.
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Tini said his iwi’s manaaki was being used against him by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

“They know we don’t want (contracted emergency housing) facilities on our doorstep – yet here we are.”

David McPherson echoed this cynicism about the actions of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

“The ministry presented an exit strategy as part of the applications (which is largely nonsense) and which it has made no move to implement even at this late stage,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Nick Whittington said the ministry was well aware of the effect of emergency housing contracts.

“It actually recognizes those effects and the stress that comes from participating in a process like this and welcomes that participation.”

However, he said some of the evidence presented by those who submitted submissions, such as people sleeping rough in toilets or car parks, actually indicated a need for emergency housing.

“This is evidence of unmet demand for housing. It almost goes without saying that people who are camping or sleeping rough … are not in contracted emergency housing,” he said.

Hill’s job now was to figure out what could be done for Rotorua residents who were deeply opposed to emergency housing, without ignoring the needs of some of the city’s most vulnerable citizens.

He said he expected to make a decision before Christmas.