A project created to arrest some shocking housing statistics is starting to pay dividends in South Auckland.
It was initiated in response to recent studies that found 60% of South Auckland residents live in overcrowded homes.
The Healthy Housing Programme is designed to move families out of their cramped living spaces and into more spacious homes.
Apart from improving living conditions, the initiative has also dramatically reduced health problems.
The Tukia family illustrates a typical situation in South Auckland.
Katrina, her husband Ali and their six children live in a two bedroom state house in Panmure.
Katrina says that eight years of close knit living has taken its toll. Her daughter has severe eczema and her other children often complain of skin infections and sores.
Ali should also be in a wheelchair, but it does not fit through the door and he has to be dragged to the bathroom.
A recent Medical Journal study showed more than half of the families in South Auckland live six or more to a house. Some families were found to have up to 17 under the one roof. They were also often living in uninsulated damp houses, and bedding down on lounge floors, in garages and sleepouts.
The Health Housing Programme, which is a joint housing and health initiative, has in the past six years moved more than 4,000 families into larger, insulated homes.
The benefits have been clear cut.
Research shows that relocated families have experienced a
significant 37% drop in hospital admissions.
Dr Gary Jackson points out that half of the people in these
houses are children under 15. He says the long term effects are
vitally important.
"It's a small intervention now for a large gain in health in the
future."
