Source: Radio New Zealand
The Tuiletufuga family. Amy Williams / RNZ
A father of four says words cannot describe the relief he felt having a stable roof for his family after they spent a month living in a van before moving to emergency housing.
The Salvation Army has added another 41 homes to a social housing development in Flat Bush, South Auckland, ranging from one bedroom apartments to five bedroom houses.
It is where Jonathan Tuiletufuga, his wife Tauline and their four sons have a place to call their own at long last.
They moved here from Samoa a year ago, living with friends and family while trying to secure housing.
Tuiletufuga said for a month they lived in a van to ease pressure on those they had been staying with – two of their four sons are autistic, one of whom has high needs.
“He’s very vocal, he makes a lot of noise at night, so all of us cramping into the van and maybe parking in a playground somewhere and crashing out for the night. For about a month we had that period until we got into a transitional home.”
Jonathan Tuiletufuga. Amy Williams / RNZ
He said the temporary housing was small and the Salvation Army had been working with them for a few months when the opportunity arose to move to Flat Bush.
“We were in a transitional house at the time, it was emergency, I’m so glad we said yes because massive space. I’ve got room enough to spare for my boys – they’re all growing, ages one to 15, so we’ve got room to put down roots and try to start from the bottom again.”
The family moved into the new four-bedroom home three weeks ago.
Tuiletufuga said it had been hard to find work and he had gone back to school to get qualifications.
“It’s difficult right now but if we keep tackling, if we keep putting one foot forward it’s upwards and onwards.”
The Salvation Army had 18 social housing developments underway throughout the country, with 400 homes funded in the 2025 Budget.
The new units in Flat Bush add to the 46 homes that were built on the same site five years ago, and it was now home to more than 200 people, more than half of them children.
At Friday’s opening, property director Greg Foster said they could build more if funding was available.
Salvation Army territorial director of social housing and property Greg Foster. RNZ / Natalie Akoorie
“We can always do more, not only the Salvation Army we can do a lot more but also a lot of community housing providers can do more. Amongst the community housing providers last year there was funding for 2000 so [together] we’ve taken up all that.”
Foster said the current funding round was for fewer homes, close to 800. Meanwhile, there were 19,500 people waiting for state housing.
Jasmine Herewini. Amy Williams / RNZ
Jasmine Herewini oversaw the Salvation Army’s national tenancies, and said their social housing came with wraparound support for tenants who came from homelessness or transitional housing.
“It is hard because we sit there and we listen to every story that they’re telling us, and it is coming from transitional housing or from their vehicles,” she said.
“We can’t save everyone, but what we can do is provide whare in a community where they can build on that.”
This latest development was just one step towards reducing housing insecurity. Tuiletufuga said his family was settling in very well.
“One hundred on everything, the location of the house that they picked for us, the amount of rooms that are set aside for my boys and I and the Mrs, she’s happy – she can’t stop inviting people over.”
Christopher Luxon. Ida White Lynx Photography
Prime Minister Christopher attended the opening, saying the government was backing community housing providers with funding to build more homes.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
