Wellington city council evicts truck protester

JOHN CROWLEY/Dominion Post

MOVING OUT: A policewoman lends a hand as Jennifer Graham removes belongings from her housetruck before the vehicle was towed away by wellington City Council. Last night Graham camped out on the street.

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A Woman is living on the street after her illegally parked housetruck was seized by Wellington City Council.

Jennifer Graham has lived in her truck in the same central Wellington parking space in Stout St since September even getting mail delivered there. About $5000 of parking fines had been issued before the council instead tried moving her along.

The council has issued written warnings saying it is illegal to camp on a city street, but Ms Graham has refused to acknowledge the council as a legitimate authority.

Yesterday the council had a towing company remove the housetruck and a 1957 Morris Minor called Annabel, which sat on an attached trailer. Three police officers, requested by the council, were on hand.

Ms Graham was given two hours to remove her possessions including suitcases and cardboard boxes on to the Stout St pavement, where she remained last night, sitting on a cushion and covered by a tarpaulin.

A postie briefly interrupted her move to deliver a handful of mail. Letters found their way to Ms Graham, despite being addressed to "Jennifer at concrete pole No 462" or "Jennifer in Stout St".

Ms Graham refused to comment.

Council spokesman Jon Visser said negotiations to help her had broken down. "She has voluntarily decided to live on the streets. Obviously, we couldn't leave her vehicles sitting there, so we organised for them to be taken away."

She would be charged several hundred dollars in towing fees.

Council citizen engagement director Wendy Walker said the situation was far from ideal.

"We don't want Jennifer to live on the street. We are very concerned for her wellbeing. However, the central city is not the place for people to commandeer a number of parking spaces and set up semi-permanent camp."

Council offers to make the housetruck roadworthy and have it warranted and registered, as long as she stopped camping in a public place, had been rejected. Accommodation with the council-funded Downtown Community Ministry was also refused.

- © Fairfax NZ News