Thursday, Apr 10, 2014
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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
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Homeless in Ashburton
Graeme Blythe and his family (from left) Jordyn, 8, Samantha, 7, Ryan, 4, his partner Rebecca Sutton and Jesse-May, 5, are living in a two bedroom tent because they can’t find a rental in Ashburton. PHOTO DONNA WYLIE 080414-DW-236
Family of six fears winter in a tent BY MYLES HUME
MYLES.H@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
A desperate family of six are living out of a tent because they cannot find a home to rent in Ashburton. Rebecca Sutton and Graeme Blythe and their four children just want a place to call home after having no choice but to pitch a two-bedroom canvas tent in the backyard of their friend’s property on Burnett Street. It has been home for the past two months after their last landlord gave them 42 days notice to move out of their Beach Road rental before it was sold. Their plight has at times been “embarrassing and degrading”. Washing, cooking and homework all has to be done inside their friend’s place which is already home to five people. Ms Sutton said she had searched for months for a rental
“
I just want my own pride and a place to call home
and was now in the process of working with Housing New Zealand to find a place, but she was sceptical of their chances. “Sometimes we turn up to an open home and there’s 25 people there who all have a sob story, and we have missed out,” Ms Sutton said. “We want anything we can get, it’s getting cold, miserable and damp . . . I think we could only stay here for another month max, I just want my own pride and a place to call home.” Having four children can make it difficult to get a rental, and they are aware having two dogs may hinder their chances. How-
ever, they do have strong references. Between Ms Sutton’s 12 hours at the Hotel Ashburton, Mr Blythe’s job seeker’s support benefit, working for families benefit and extra money brought in by Mr Blythe’s part-time tattooing business, the family usually scrapes together $650 a week. They pay $160 a week to camp in the backyard, and are renting out a room at another house for $160 to keep Mr Blythe’s tattooing business ticking over. “So we are pretty much paying for the price of a rental as it is,” Ms Sutton said. Mr Blythe said he could in-
crease his clientele if they had a home, and they would be eligible for an accommodation supplement. Locals showed a wave of support on Facebook for the family, advising them on upcoming rentals and hoping to raise money for a motel room. “The support has been overwhelming, I almost cried. We will take anything we can get, we want a place for the kids and to give the family we are staying with a break – they have just been so amazing, not many people would turn around and help out like that,” Ms Sutton said. Housing New Zealand said they were awaiting Ms Sutton’s paperwork, saying there is a house that may be suitable for her family in a few weeks.
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