Homeless haven could be regulated out of operation following Tauranga begging ban

Tuesday, 7 May 2019

Homeless providers in Tauranga will need to apply for a resource consent to continue helping homeless be operating illegally.

Council legislation banned homeless from begging or sleeping in Tauranga's CBD and now regulations could push homeless out of a suburban shelter.

Whare Ora 111 Charitable Trust has been housing Tauranga's homeless at 111 Ohauiti Road with demand for their services high with 'begging ban bylaw' which made it illegal for people to sleep or beg within five metres of a shopfront in the CBD, doing nothing to slow it.

The charity operates on a shoe-string budget and must now undertake gaining an expensive resource consent process or risk operating illegally.

With just two toilets and one shower for about two dozen people, the community hall was never designed to be a shelter but it has become a welcome port in a storm for the increasing number of homeless in Tauranga.

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Hoki Bruce (front) and Victoria Davies (back) say their homeless shelter cannot afford to complete a resource consent and they face operating illegally.

Residents are expected to pay $70 a week and most choose to rent a caravan from a private company.

Heaters are not permitted due to rising power costs and large power bills.

Lately the trust has had to start turning people away as there are too many needing thier help which is hard for them to do.

Homeless started using 111 Ohauiti Road as a temporary shelter after the 2018 AIMS Games, a national-level junior sporting event, was held in town and left most temporary or emergency accommodation, like motels, booked out.

'The Anglican Church are good-hearted and opened this place up for those displaced,' Whare Ora 111 chairperson Hoki Bruce said.

'We had about 40 people here in tents and some have not moved on.'

Caravans replaced tents after the slopes were levelled enough to allow them to sit on the site. One family of nine sleeps inside the community hall at night whereas caravan dwellers use the toilet and kitchen facilities in the hall.

Some neighbours complained about the location which resulted in a visit from council and a need to assess a resource consent.

Trustee Victoria Davies said they were told a resource consent could start at $5000 but could end up being tens of thousands if it was contested.

'We lack the money to go through the resource consent provess,' she said.

'We'll just have to operate illegally as no one has anywhere to go.

'Homeless are everywhere. All these laws do nothing to stop homelessness.'

Tauranga City Council environmental protection manager, Andrew McMath, said they are working out the detail of what consent was needed from the charitable group before any cost assessment could take place.

'The Trust are currently working through the type and scale of activity they wish to undertake,' he said.

'Once this has been determined, Council will be able to provide advice as to the nature of the resource consent required.'

Residents continue to live in hope the resource consenting issue can be resolved and they can stay in the facility.

'Anything is better than sleeping on the street,' a former homeless man who asked not to be named said.

'The only way for someone to judge a homeless person is if they have lived that life,' he said.