My parents came from Kawerau to Freemans Bay in 1971 when it was affordable—just. They were not from wealthy families; there was no inheritance. My father told me once about his parents camping a whole summer on a Gisborne beach with a young baby because no one would rent them a house as they had too many children. Eventually, my grandfather lied about the number of children to solve that problem. Both my parents worked. While the inner city was more affordable and undervalued than other parts of Auckland at the time, it was still a struggle for my parents to pay the mortgage. I remember the constant anxiety about whether we would be able to keep our house. As the value of homes in the area rose, the leasehold and the rates went up, and it was becoming impossible to pay the annual land lease. My parents bought the lease when the interest rates were in double digits. Everything they had went into keeping that house. This had nothing to do with astute investment—it is still the first place most struggling families put their money. But as house prices went up, I watched most of the poorer families I grew up with in Auckland Central move out. When I went to primary school, I was one of a few Pālagi kids at a Pasifika-dominated school. Many in the Pasifika community left Auckland Central during my childhood; most working class families did.