Tauranga Moana Night Shelter is at capacity.
Record numbers of men have taken refuge at the shelter over the summer months, most are young men whose casual work has dried up.
Manager Annamarie Angus said the shelter's 20 beds have been full this summer. Most residents were young men who wanted to work, but had fallen on hard times.
The shelter had helped 281 clients since opening in 2014. About 116 of them (41 per cent) are aged 21 to 35.
"We have young men here with no income at all," Ms Angus said.
"A lot of them are casual workers whose work has dried up over Christmas, or the season has finished. The fallout is they are unable to keep their accommodation, and they end up at our door."
There was a perception that older men made up most of those seeking help but this was incorrect, she said.
"There's a difference between rough sleepers and men who are displaced," she said.
"While women and families have been a focus over the last few months we can not lose sight of the many men who are seriously disadvantaged in our community.
"It's not the guy sitting around drinking all day."
Social worker Pania Stevenson said anyone could end up needing the shelter's services.
"I think a lot of people have ended up in here by default," she said.
The majority of the men at the shelter have skills and trades and are actively looking for work. The youngest man currently there is just 18.
Many have fallen on hard times because of broken relationships. Some are unable to access the support networks. Some have debt; some have no income.
The shelter's mission is to access services to end the cycle of homelessness.
Staff help clients achieve improved health outcomes, sustainable housing and debt reduction, and to get them into work or study.