Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Public Health and Social Measures including stay at home orders and other social restrictions were put in place across the world, and concerns were raised about the difficulties that low-income communities, including those in public housing, might experience. Public housing in Aotearoa New Zealand provides homes to many economically marginalised people and families. As a community, public housing tenants also have a greater percentage of Māori, Pacific, and migrant peoples compared to the general Aotearoa New Zealand population. Many public housing tenants in cities are living in medium density typologies which may have specific challenges
under pandemic measures due to the shared spaces in this dwelling type. To date, very little research has addressed the particular experiences of public housing tenants during COVID-19, and there has been no research undertaken in Aotearoa New Zealand. This thesis presents a grounded theory project using seven long-form interviews with public housing tenants in the greater Wellington region. The focus of this study was to describe the experiences of these tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic
using grounded theory methods, with particular emphasis on how the pandemic and the associated PHSM impacted their health and wellbeing. The discussion is broken into three areas: tenant experience, provider recommendations, and policy recommendations, to help inform future practice.In summary, participants described increased feelings of uncertainty about “what’s around the corner” both in terms of future pandemic scenarios, but also more broadly. They understood
wellbeing both personally and collectively, reflecting on how the pandemic has affected others in their life particularly young children. In terms of dwelling and neighbourhood characteristics, tenants referenced the importance of green space, and the need for dwelling interiors to be flexible to changing uses (e.g., working from home, a family member isolating while positive with COVID-19). Compounding the difficulties of COVID-19 was the financial precarity experienced by some tenants.
As it is outside of pandemic times, the importance of adequate financial support and health-enabling housing are further reinforced as necessary for pandemic preparedness. Ensuring prompt and clear support systems in the early stages of PHSM in future may address some of the issues experienced by tenants during COVID-19. Further consultation with public housing communities is needed to ensure
that support pathways are appropriate and fit for purpose.