Te Pa Maru which can accommodate 18 men. Photo: Wellington City Mission
New Zealand's first 'wet house' - Te Pa Maru - will celebrate its one-year anniversary next month.
It's a significant milestone for a project that has been decades in the making, having faced political knockbacks and financial woes since planning began in 2009.
However, in September 2023, after a major $6 million refurbishment by Wellington City Mission, the first-of-its-kind facility opened its doors on Taranaki St.
With 18 ensuite bedrooms and round-the-clock staffing, Te Pa Maru provides homeless men with chronic alcoholism a secure home and access to wraparound services, while allowing them to drink on site.
Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge said abstinence was a very high bar for some people, and addiction should not exclude them from access to secure housing.
Murray Edridge Photo: Wellington City Mission
International research showed the opposite of addiction was connection - helping people to stay well and safe, have good rest and nutrition and something useful to do.
"And over time their addictions will decrease."
The experience - not tried in New Zealand before - had taken the mission by surprise.
"The decrease in consumption and the increase in wellness of our residents since the beginning of April is remarkable, some would say miraculous."
Edridge cited the case of the first man who had moved in. The mission had had a "difficult" history with him for two years and he had caused some problems in the community.
Since April his alcohol consumption has dropped by two thirds. "He looks better, he's put on weight, he's reconnected with his whānau, which was seriously damaged."
He had also gone back to his art.
"We're seeing a new person being created here. Someone who was on a pathway to destruction, a pathway to a life that was very very difficult indeed for him and the community."
While he was damaged by some experiences in his life, he now had the chance to build something better for himself, Edridge said.
'Dignity and respect'
The mission which is celebrating its 120th year has always tried to be responsive to what the community needed, he said.
"One of the things we were very conscious of for some years was that there was a group of people in our community who weren't being responded to because of their alcohol use and the harm and the impact they created for themselves and for other people in the community because of that alcohol use."
They had nowhere to live because of the no alcohol rule, however, the fact of the matter was that they had an "alcohol use disorder".
It controlled what they did and had negative impacts - a problem that society couldn't ignore.
"This place enables people who have to keep consuming alcohol to have a beautiful place to live ... a place of dignity and respect, a place of community."
People had been staying overnight since April, before that prospective residents came in during the day and helped to plan the services.
It was possible some of the men would spend the rest of their lives at the facility.
Some might be able to move to independent housing or to the care of other services.
"Over time we hope that the learnings that come out of Te Pa Maru will be taken up by other people and they will be able to do it in other places."
The facility which has 15 staff is funded by the government.
