|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A homeless man who’s living in a trailer at an east Auckland park says he’s suffering from bowel cancer and just wants to be left alone.
Ray, who doesn’t want his surname published, came to some locals’ attention following a recent post on a community Facebook page that claimed his Dodge Ram utility vehicle looked expensive and questioned why he wasn’t able to afford housing.
Ray told the Times he didn’t pay much for the vehicle and he needed it to tow his trailer, which is currently his home.
He says he’s been living in the area for several years. He was married to a woman for almost 20 years, but the relationship ended when Ray became unwell.
“I didn’t want her going through it. I know people who have died of cancer and the ones left behind are the hardest hit.
“They lose their jobs, houses, everything. I didn’t want her doing that. It was better that she got out, so we sold the house, and I couldn’t afford to buy a new one.”
Before Ray became unwell he worked as a painter.
“I’m not well so can’t go to work, can’t do regular hours, and sometimes I can’t get up.”
He has only his dog, named Little, for company.
Ray says he doesn’t claim a benefit as “I’m not really into that Government s***”, and he’s living off the money earned from the sale of his home.
He also doesn’t intend to apply for social housing.
“There are other people out there who deserve a home before me,” he says.
“I wouldn’t want to take one when there’s other people who need homes.
“Other people are living a bit rough … I can get by as long as I get left alone.”
He says the hardest aspect of his situation is people “harassing” him or looking down on him because he’s living in a trailer.
He’s been told to move by Auckland Council and a security guard placed a note outlining the rules for freedom camping inside the door of his trailer, Ray says.
“They called me a ‘freedom camper’. I’m not on holiday mate.
“They said it was a choice. It isn’t a choice – I can’t afford anywhere else.
“I don’t want to be here, definitely not.”
He’s fixing up his trailer and says he can’t legally move his utility vehicle at present as it doesn’t have a warrant of fitness or current registration.
“I just want to be left alone. Once I finish my trailer I will go, because then I’ll have it all up to date.
“I’m not going to stay here for the rest of my life. I’m not building a fence and doing a garden.”
Council compliance manager Adrian Wilson says it regularly engages with people living in vehicles.
If a person is living in their vehicle due to homelessness, it makes referrals to outreach providers to assist them in getting emergency accommodation.
“Where someone makes a lifestyle choice to live in a converted vehicle, we don’t treat this as a homeless issue as the vehicle is effectively their home.
“In this case, there are currently two people living in the carpark at Lloyd Elsmore Park.
“One occupies a large, converted bus and the other has a caravan and two vehicles.
“Staff have checked on both and have referred the occupants to a social services provider, who have visited and offered support through their outreach service in the past.
“We’re continuing to try and connect these occupants with outreach support, however if they are not willing to take this up then we will need to take enforcement action.
“The vehicles occupy multiple car parking spaces due to their size and are in breach of the Freedom Camping in Vehicles Bylaw which allows for short stays only.”
