And the Homelessness continues to grow

Donna from Otaki District

www.thepost.co.nz...
And the situation is getting worse, with increasing numbers of homeless people here in Kapiti while we wait for the Housing Trust to get up and running. How long has gone past since Kapiti was made to be more aware of the dreadful situation here? I had the chance to meet a youth who was homeless. He was able to get into a motel but only for one week. He then needed to find alternative accommodation or it would be back to the streets again. He left Kapiti but that just moves the homeless person a number in another town. The organisations are few and far between where they can do something for these homeless youth, families, elderly etc. How many are not known of because they are surfing couches, going from one place to another constantly, sleeping in cars, in derelict and abandoned buildings/houses? Where more than one family is living in one house. How many times does a tenant have to find a rental because the owner can evict with no reason now? How many are too shy to get WINZ help.
I had a solution but this government has put the kaibosh on that. Why can't WINZ use the Temporary Assistance Supplement (TAS) to help with outrageous rents when they have been paying motels. I would bet it would be cheaper, in the long run, to use the TAS instead of paying the moteliers who are making money hand over fist with that. But then it seems after one week another homeless person is housed for only that week.
Now that takes me to the ridiculous situation of the TAS. I have been getting that for 14 years and have to renew it every three months. I was on the Kainga Ora list to find accommodation that would suit my needs. Yes, we all have different needs. But I decided I had had enough of living in a motel where drug users were present and an abusive man to his family. So I found a rental a long way from my family and of course, the rent went up every year. I am pleased to say this year it has not increased, but it will eventually.
How would each M.P. cope with living in the same situation that many of us have no other option?
KCDC and the Mayor think they are doing something useful but what have we got to show for it? If there were to be some sort of disaster housing would be found for those who lose their homes due to the disaster