Shelter found for Tauranga homeless

A site to shelter homeless people has been identified by the people who have spent years trying to make it happen.

The Tauranga Moana Nightshelter Trust has been working with Tauranga City Council to explore potential sites for development of a nightshelter for about 35 homeless people in Tauranga.

In December 2013 the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) approached Mayor Stuart Crosby with a proposal for the Trust to buy the YHA building at 171 Elizabeth Street for the nightshelter and take over the land lease. The building is currently owned by the YHA and the land leased from Council.

The central location was considered ideal due to the large concentration of homeless people in the central city. The building will also be fit-for-purpose as it was already used as an accommodation facility.

At Tuesday's council meeting elected members agreed to support the proposal as follows:

- Approve the use of the land that the YHA occupy for the purpose of the Tauranga Moana Nightshelter Trust establishing a nightshelter
- Approve the release of $118,000 set aside from the Stewart Trust Fund in 2009 for the nightshelter
- Proceed with public notification of an intent to change the purpose of the classification of this land under the Reserves Act 1977
- Approve a lease and peppercorn land rental of $1 per annum to the Trust
Support the Trust in funding applications to other agencies

The Trust estimated there was a consistent number of 30-40 chronic street homeless all year round in Tauranga. The proposed nightshelter would provide an accommodation facility and access to support services for homeless people.
Following completion of the statutory and Council processes the Trust aim to have the nightshelter operational from mid July 2014.