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Terrance De Souza just wants a home for himself and his dog. Now 70 and unable to get a job for the first time in his life, De Souza has less than two weeks to find a home, or else he will be homeless.
De Souza immigrated to New Zealand from Singapore 35 years ago and worked as a cleaner until he left his job a few years ago due to health problems. He had been unable to find work since then and had cycled in and out of emergency housing, most recently Fernhill Motor Lodge, where he now lives.
“I am trying to get a house; This is not a home, ”De Souza said. “They tell me that there are 20,000 people waiting [for social housing]. I am one of those people.
Ross Giblin / Stuff
Terrance De Souza lives at Fernhill Motor Lodge, but has been told that he must leave in two weeks.
“I could live in my car with my dog or buy a tent. If things get complicated, I will. “
Emergency housing in the Wellington region has almost tripled in the last year, due to the effects of Covid-19 and the shortage of affordable housing. The Ministry of Social Development confirmed that 622 households were currently living in emergency housing, compared to 212 households at this time last year.
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A person or family was only supposed to stay in emergency housing for seven days, but the shortage of affordable housing meant that the length of a stay was often much longer, sometimes years.
De Souza received an eviction notice last Friday, but MSD had extended the notice period to March 12.
Ross giblin
Terrance De Souza fears that he will never have a stable job and a safe home again.
In recent months, De Souza had requested nearly 30 private rentals, but none will allow him to stay with his dog, Felix. They offered him community housing through St. James Presbyterian Church, but he would have to put Felix in a kennel, which was a cost he couldn’t afford.
“She is my family,” De Souza said.
Aro Mai Housing First Operations Manager Taone O’Regan said pets would often become an additional obstacle for people in emergency housing when it comes to finding a home.
“It is very, very difficult to find properties that accept dogs,” O’Regan said. “Some emergency providers allow dogs, but it is very limited. But pets can be really important to people’s well-being, they are often that person’s only family and connection. “
ROSA WOODS / Things
Emergency housing in the Wellington region has almost tripled in the last year, due to the effects of Covid-19 and the shortage of affordable housing.
The government had done well to secure additional emergency housing during the Covid-19 response, O’Regan said.
Before Covid-19, people living in emergency housing had to reapply every week, but now tenure was more flexible.
Still, people in emergency housing would have to prove to MSD that they were applying for another type of housing, as well as obtain a quote from the emergency housing provider every few weeks for MSD approval.
Ross giblin
Terrance also needs to find a place that allows him to be with his dog Felix.
“It’s a difficult and time-consuming process,” O’Regan said. “Most likely, he can stay. But when you’re constantly being judged, ‘Have you searched hard enough?’ ‘Show me the emails’ causes anxiety. “
Wellington City Missionary Murray Edridge said that more people than in the past were on the brink of homelessness.
“There are many in our community who live right on the threshold,” Edridge said. “It is often said that we are all only two or three events in life from homelessness.”
Many people who were getting by before Covid-19 were now homeless.
“There is no easy solution, no single solution. It is an accusation against our society that we judge people in these circumstances, which are often just a perfect storm of hopelessness. “
Wellington City Councilor Fleur FitzSimons, who holds the housing portfolio, said De Souza’s story was a timely reminder of the harsh reality of the housing crisis.
“This is a heartbreaking story and a very real reminder that there are people behind the housing crisis statistics. These people deserve compassion and support to ensure that they can live comfortably. “
