Rents should be capped because they’re far too high for many struggling Queenstown families.
So says Happiness House’s manager for the past four-and-a-half years, Robyn Francis, who left her role at the community support centre this week.
‘‘We get people come in and on paper it looks like they should be able to survive, and perhaps if they were in Clyde or Invercargill they might be fine, but because a massive chunk of their income is being taken on rent, they can’t afford to see a doctor or dentist.’’
Francis suggests capping rentals ‘‘using a calculation based on what happens in some other countries’’.
‘‘Also, limit the amount of Airbnbs we have, to a percentage, so there’s still affordable housing left for all our workers.’’
Francis says she’s loved her job — ‘‘it feels so much like home’’ — and has only left because she wants to be near her first grandchild, in Christchurch.
Covid was obviously a curve-ball — ‘‘people were in shock, basically, and they would ring us and not know how to cope’’.
‘‘For some people it was mental health support [they needed] and for others it was practical support.’’
She’d had experience with a similar crisis, during the Christchurch quakes, and also civil defence training.
Fortunately, also, Happiness House had just had technology installed so it could operate remotely.
‘‘I think people are still recovering from it, and people have huge debt they’ve clocked up.’’
The centre’s got great funders like Central Lakes Trust, Community Trust South, Lottery Grants Board and the council, but is completely reliant on businesses and organisations making up the shortfall, she notes.
‘‘We can never get too much, the need just keeps increasing.’’
She says they’re also grateful to their generous landlord, but says ‘‘we’d still like to have a permanent location’’.
With other agencies based in Frankton, she believes they need to stay in central Queenstown.
Francis’ successor is Lena Boss, who’s been coordinator for the past 17 months, while the new coordinator is Steph Burbridge, a
former Happiness House volunteer, then casual worker.
Helping Happiness House “a privilege”
Mitre 10 Mega last week supplied, installed and planted out a greenhouse at Happiness House so it can grow more food for its Friday produce days, supporting people in hardship.
The company assisted through its ‘helping hands’ programme, in which staff assist projects with hands-on help.
Above, from left, are ‘helping hands’ team member Kellie Bosworth, Happiness House’s outgoing manager Robyn Francis and centre trustee Phil Jones.
‘‘Happiness House plays such a pivotal role for people in our community,’’ Mitre 10 GM Paul Jackson says.
‘‘Lending our support so they can continue to support others is a privilege.’’
