A Richmond community support group that helps mothers and young families has partnered with the owners of an early education centre to start a new flat for single mothers who can’t find accommodation during the housing crisis.
Ma’s Place was set up at a Cautley St residence early last year by a group of “passionate people” to help support mothers and their young families. There has been a huge demand for the free services provided by Ma’s Place and now one of the group’s members, Carol Marshall, has helped set-up a flat for single mums who can’t find accommodation.
“A lot of families are struggling with the housing crisis – especially single mums,” Carol says. “There aren’t a lot of options for these families and it’s very stressful, so we thought we’d try and help.
“We’ve been using Ma’s Place as emergency accommodation for mothers and their young families, and we even had one dad, but we needed something more permanent. It’s very hard supporting a young family when you are a single mum and it’s often difficult finding affordable accommodation so we decided to see if we could help.”
Carol says she approached Richmond early education centre owners Anthony and Stacey Holder about the possibility of using a property they were planning to sell. She says the house is “perfect” for young families because Anthony and Stacey had been using it for their under-two childcare centre Paula’s Tiny Tots.
Anthony and Stacey agreed to the proposal and soon after they relocated Paula’s Tiny Tots to their Paula’s Preschool premises on Waverley St in January new mothers and their babies moved into the flat. Carol says the four bedroom flat has been busy since it opened in March with up to four mothers and their children staying at any one time.
“Paula’s Preschool has always been very supportive of Ma’s Place, so when we heard they were selling the house we contacted Anthony. He was very happy to make it a mums’ flat and did a few renovations for us and then we moved in there in March – it’s a work in progress but it’s going very well.”
Carol says the flat’s rental is affordable and fixed so the mums know exactly what they have to pay each week. All the mums in the flat do their own cooking and cleaning and also support each other “during difficult times”.
Anthony says they were happy to rent their house as a mums’ flat because they wanted to “support people in the community” and also have such a good relationship with Ma’s Place and Carol.
“I see it as a win-win,” Anthony says. “The building is still getting used and it’s providing a service for the community and support for people that Carol helps.”
New mum Marie Hill says the flat has been a saviour because she had nowhere to go after her partner left her when she was six weeks pregnant.
“I stayed at Ma’s Place for seven months and tried for ages to find permanent accommodation but couldn’t find anything. Some of the agencies and private landlords wouldn’t even look at me – they said ‘sorry we don’t take single mothers’
“The mums’ flat is perfect for us. You get your independence and it’s affordable.”
Carol says Anthony and Stacey’s decision to rent their property as a single mums flat instead of selling it is “very community-minded and a creative way of alleviating the impact of housing shortages on young families. She wants to encourage other landlords and community groups to consider young families’ needs, and would like to hear from anyone who can help with housing.
For more information see Ma’s Place website masplace.org,nz
