Few families putting hand up for homes
BY KRIS DANDO
Habitat For Humanity is desperately short of applicants in Porirua, with just 10 families applying for their latest two home builds.
Houses being built next to McDonald's (Kenepuru Dr) and at Whitireia Polytechnic will soon be transported to permanent sites in Porirua East and become the homes of two local families. But as Habitat starts the hunt for locations for its next build project, its Porirua selection team leader Jaynie Clark-Collier says their client database is looking "critical".
"Normally we find a family first and then build a home but for these last two builds it was backwards.
"It's a new experience for us and we want to get the word out there. Right now we have no families waiting at all."
Ms Clark-Collier believes local families may not be applying due to misconceptions, such as clients having to be Christian or restrictions based on family size or debt level.
She points out the house being built next to McDonald's, for the Tekira family, is five bedrooms and for a family of eight.
"There are criteria you have to meet, and in the past it was strict, but everything is done on a case-by-case basis. There is a lot of empathy and I think it's more realistic now, we look at everyone's circumstances to see if it might work. It might take a year but can you save a deposit in that time?"
After an informal interview, there is a formal interview and then the selection team makes its decision. As well as meeting with a budget service, each family is expected to put in 500 hours helping out with the build.
A family starts off renting it for a period of about three to five years, before moving into the "buying phase".
"It's a hand up, not a hand out, and we have so many success stories right here in Porirua. This is an amazing opportunity and it's such a pity people are not putting their hand up."
Ms Clark-Collier also wants anyone who may have land that might be ideal for a Habitat home and are looking to sell to contact them.
- Kapi-Mana News
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Interesting article, great thing to have happening though. Jaynie Clark-Collier is a family member of The TeKira family, so isn't this process a little more than biased? Christina Greening married Samuel TeKira, previously Jaynie had lived as a Whangai sister to Christina and her family The Greenings. Odd, but good luck to them.
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Definitley not biased at all,We had to and have to go through the process just like everyone else,and as for family ties and connections it isnt odd at all, and Thanks for the Good luck!!