He does shopping on a regular basis for three other tenants and makes sure to put newspapers under the doors of tenants who don’t have ease of movement. He is willing to give help to any tenant who needs it and while he recognises that some tenants have problems with substance abuse he feels that they should be treated with the same respect as others.
John loves his unit for its great views and large windows that allow fresh air and he appreciates Matavai’s closeness to public transport, giving access to many areas and facilities. Despite waiting a long time for the carpet to be replaced after water damage from a burst hot-water tank, John has no desire to live anywhere else. In fact, he says, “They will have to call for the coppers and carry me out of here!” Although he does not belong to any community group he enjoys the many entertainments provided on Waterloo Green, such as Family Day on April 23.
John was very upset by the initial news of the redevelopment of Waterloo and his anxiety and puzzlement have not been alleviated by either the public meeting held at the NCIE nor follow-up letters. He points out that the first letter implied the development was necessitated by the railway station which would be at Waterloo Green but the follow-up letter places the railway in a different location which would not affect the towers. He believes the government is not only looking for quick money from selling off Waterloo (and other) public housing stock to multinationals but also wants to banish the poor from areas close to the city.
Another of his concerns is the lack of clarity in government statements. He says that most people are anxious about the fact that they have not been provided with a timeline but rather vague and inconsistent statements. One such statement claims that the redevelopment will take place over 15 years, but as he says many of the elderly tenants will not live to see their promised return to the area. In addition, as there are around 5,000 tenants in public housing in Waterloo, how is it possible that they can all be accommodated in circumstances similar to their housing in Waterloo?
John is also puzzled by the fact that new tenants are still being brought into the tower. Quite extensive repairs are being made on a daily basis, old kitchens are being completely replaced and the laundries wired up for new pay-as-you-use dryers. The waste of money is huge if the buildings, which are in perfectly good condition, are to be demolished.
Another issue that bothers him is the fate of the many animals kept as companions by the elderly. He sees people regularly walking their dogs and talking to them as if they are other people. These people love their dogs and it would be “inhumane” to separate the animals from their human companions. What would happen to the dogs?
There has been no real consultation and John would like to see a letter from the government that clearly answers the questions tenants have.
