jun 7, 2001 - South Auckland at risk of becoming "garage city"
Description:
Parts of Auckland are at risk of becoming garage cities, housing advocates claim.
Publicity over the case of an Auckland family who spent four years in a rat-infested garage has highlighted the conditions other people are living in.
The Murphy family rented the Waitakere garage for $180 a week despite cockroaches, holes in the walls, makeshift bathroom facilities and dodgy wiring.
Their landlords, Aik Guan Law and Kim Lan Lai, have been fined $40,500 for allowing the family of six to live there.
Many community groups said they knew of similar situations.
Ian Godfrey, the Manukau City Council's technical officer of building, suspected cases such as the Murphys could be just the tip of the iceberg in South Auckland.
"In terms of the socio-economic groups from the Manukau area with extended families and houses not big enough ... they are making extra living space in garages."
Mr Godfrey said the council was investigating a Papatoetoe case where extended family members were living in a garage.
"We're trying to work though the issues with the owners."
Because uninsulated garages were cold and damp in winter, people tried to keep them warm with burners and heaters, which put them at risk, he said.
"Just two years ago we had a fatal fire in Otara where an extended family was living in a converted garage without a building permit."
The supervisor of the Otara Citizens Advice Bureau, Lin Kaiou, said garage living was common.
"People are renting out garages with no facilities and living in lean-tos."
Mrs Kaiou said those most likely to live in such conditions were young Polynesian families and new immigrants. - NZPA
Supplied by New Zealand Press Association.
Source: GARAGE CITIES TIPPED.
286 words
7 June 2001
Waikato Times
WAIKTI
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