Healthy Homes, Happy People: Meet Joe Watene

For Joe, working in the Maintenance Team at Tāmaki Housing is about much more than just fixing things; it’s about making a real difference in people’s day-to-day lives. With a background as a Tenancy Manager at Tāmaki Housing prior to joining the mainte-nance team, Joe brings a deep understanding of tenant relationships to his work. “There’s sometimes a bit of reluctance from tenants to get work done. We totally get it. Allowing tradespeople into your home can feel daunting. But part of our job is building those relationships and helping families feel comfortable,” Joe says.

Tāmaki Housing’s maintenance team work alongside a team of contractors at Spencer Henshaw, who handle the physical repairs. The team at Spencers has worked across the Tāmaki area for over 30 years, and handle all sorts of requests, from carpet replacement, painting, broken windows, electrical work, and more. Joe explains that every job begins with understanding what the home needs and how the team can best support tenants to get the work done with the least disruption possible. Ultimately, tenant wellbeing is always front and centre. “There’s a whole crew of us working behind the scenes who genuinely care about each other, our tenants, and the mahi we do. It’s a satisfying space to be in because you can see the positive outcomes every day.”

“When the work is done, especially in homes where there’s been more significant maintenance required, you can see a huge difference in how well the home meets their needs,” says Joe. “The improvement in their wellbeing is really clear. When someone feels safe where they live, it changes every-thing. It gives them comfort and a better quality of life.”

For Joe and the maintenance team, there’s no better feeling than knowing their work has helped make that possible. His advice to whānau? Don’t be afraid to reach out. “If something goes wrong or needs fixing, there’s no whakamā, no shame, no embarrassment. We’re here to help. We only do a few visits to properties each year, so if things aren’t reported, we might not know. Please give us a call anytime. We’ll work with you to get it sorted.”

If you are a Tāmaki Housing tenant, you can report maintenance issues in your home by calling the team on 0800 521 555 and press 1. Alternatively, you can report online via our website here: https://tamakihousing.co.nz/th/get-something-fixed 

You can read the full edition of the Mai Tāmaki Magazine for Spring 2025 online here.