A Hamilton charity that mentors, ministers to and feeds the city's homeless and disadvantaged needs to raise $9000 so it can continue to operate its services in its new premises.
Authentic Trust operates a church and community centre in the old David's Emporium building in Hood St. Because the area is city centre zoning under the Proposed District Plan (PDP) and the activities the Trust runs fall outside of those zoning allowances, they have needed to lodge a resource consent application.
Hamilton City Council's applications team leader, planning guidance, Fraser McNutt said a land use application had been received from the Authentic Church to operate a community centre at the Hood St premises. That triggered a "non-complying land use consent under the Proposed District Plan as the activity is planned to take place on the ground floor within a primary active frontage".
Mr McNutt said within the PDP there is a hierarchy of frontages within the city centre.
"Primary being those frontages that have been determined to have more prominence than, say, secondary. 'Active frontage' is a description used to describe street frontages where it has been determined that an active visual engagement between those in the street and those on the ground floors of buildings is the desired outcome. The goal is to ensure these 'active frontages' are literally active."
Authentic Church's pastor Dennis McCaskill said "we've had good conversations with council" about the consent process.
"Council sees the value in what we're doing, but they've got their process to go through. We're not complaining, we just need help getting there."
The Trust has so far raised about $5500.
The fee for a non-complying land use application is $3550. The Trust has incurred about $5500 in costs related to planning advice.
A non-complying land use consent can either be approved subject to conditions or declined.
Mr McCaskill said the Trust didn't have a contingency plan if the application was declined but was confident, based on conversations with council so far, that it would likely be approved.
Authentic Trust's roots were laid about two years ago.
"I'd been in churches for 13 years and just felt it was time to do something different. I play rugby, I'm out there, not a pastor in the traditional sense. I love life and I wanted other people to love life too. God's a big part of that."
For the first year, the congregation of about 20 ended their service in the now-demolished Victoria Cinema building with a meal. Then the city's homeless and disadvantaged began to come in and share the food.
"For the first year we did what we did and when the homeless and streeties started coming in we accepted that as a mission and we changed the way we did church and life."
From that point, the congregation grew to about 60 in the space of three months; "that was mostly streeties," he said.
As the demoltion of the old cinema approached, the congregation leased the old David's Emporium building.
"When we built this place we only used two tradies. This place was basically full of rubbish."
The building still needs work, but it's functional for now.
"Over 35 homeless people helped build this. We had to teach them some of the skills. The whole place is bascially a salute to the streeties here in Hamilton."
Now the Trust works alongside Hamilton Homeless Trust which comes in every night and feeds upwards of 100.
Authentic Trust organises two breakfasts every week which double as inspiration sessions. It also provides a meal after the Sunday service.
"Our breakfasts are about mentoring. We try and get some good ideas in their heads, positive ideas, change the way they view the world, give them some keys on successful living.
"We work with about 150 people every week. We aren't just as a church but a community centre for the disadvantaged."
The Trust plans on developing a programme with recreational activities and courses teaching practical life skills.
Mr McCaskill said the Trust was pleased to have been a part of people turning their lives around, getting jobs, getting out of gangs. He said there wasn't a formal agreement in place with the People's Project initiative - a community-wide response to concerns about the city's vagrant population.
"We hear from people who need help with housing and jobs and we tell them to go and see the People's Project, that's where it's at," said Mr McCaskill.
"People come here because they enjoy the whanau, the friendship. We're all about community. We provide a platform for motivation and a safe place. There is no judgement."
He said the Trust aimed to make the centre a "vibrant community place" with plans to open it up to bands for concerts.
To donate the the Trust's cause, visit https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/authenticcommunity.