Housing success prompts shift in council approach
Published on 13 December 2023
Whanganui District Council is moving to the next stage in its approach to homelessness sooner than planned after seeing successful results achieved by local agencies.
At a council meeting on 13 December, councillors agreed to halt further spending on the council’s Taupo Quay homeless hub - and instead reinvest the approved funding towards ongoing wrap-around support services for the homeless.
Community wellbeing manager Lauren Tamehana says Taupo Quay was established as an interim arrangement for those living at the council’s freedom camping sites while a longer-term response was developed – and Taupo Quay itself was never expected to be a solution to the issue of homelessness.
“We have completed the work to develop a longer-term response much quicker than originally planned," Lauren Tamehana says. “We have also learnt very quickly along the way that wrap-around support services have been very successful at placing our people who are homeless. Recently for example, we have been working with one provider who has been able to support 12 people or families to move into sustainable housing.”
Mayor Andrew Tripe says, “I firmly believe we can only measure ourselves as a community by how we treat our most vulnerable. Homelessness is a global and New Zealand-wide issue – and it’s important that we continue to focus on our homeless as well as fast-tracking housing in our growing district.
“On the back of Covid, when there were a number of people living in our freedom camping sites, we responded to a very real need to provide services and facilities in a safe location. However, the evidence is showing us that there is a better way forward and this is the right time to shift our approach.”
He says the council will also review its District Plan to enable medium density housing development and look at ways to speed up consenting.
Lauren Tamehana says the council has commissioned a feasibility study on the longer-term options for homelessness in Whanganui. “The report tells us, amongst other things, that investing in bricks and mortar to address homelessness is not the next best step. It should be acknowledged that this vulnerable group and the community have challenges that are widespread and that there are no short-term solutions.”
The report prepared by WSP says, “The people with the passion to help are thwarted by short term contracts, multiple funders, and lack of resources in some key areas like mental health support and appropriate housing options.”
“We intend to re-focus council resources and work with social service providers to put more wrap around services in place to cover homelessness across the community,” says Lauren Tamehana.
“The Safer Whanganui Housing Reference Group is well placed to pick up some coordination with providers to ensure everyone is on the same page and working together.”
Mayor Andrew says the council will continue conversations with the Government regarding funding available from the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.