Mayoral taskforce on homelessness sets action plan

Aim of the taskforce is eliminating homelessness throughout the western Bay of Plenty. Photo / File

Local government, central government agencies, local philanthropic funders and community organisations have joined forces with the aim of eliminating homelessness throughout the western Bay of Plenty.

Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell described the partnership in a statement today as an "exciting step forward in tackling the region's homelessness issues", following a successful first meeting of the Mayoral Taskforce on Homelessness.

"It has taken a few months to get to this stage, but during that time, a strategy and action plan – named Kāinga Tupu: Growing Homes – has been developed by our key community providers, with the help of Philip King of Lycus Ltd.

"The taskforce partner agencies have now agreed on a new name, Kāinga Tupu Mayoral Taskforce, and adopted a Memorandum of Understanding and structure to guide the Taskforce's implementation of the action plan," he said.

Powell said the partnership developed with Government departments was particularly positive "because it could potentially provide access to targeted funding streams for the western Bay of Plenty sub-region."

Tenby Powell. Photo / File

"Our sub-region's homelessness issues are complex and no single organisation has the knowledge, expertise and resources needed to address all of those issues. But together, we can collaborate to deliver real solutions and execute an action plan that will, over time, provide greater housing solutions and increased wellbeing for people experiencing homelessness.

Powell said their vision was that homelessness in the western Bay of Plenty was prevented where possible, or was rare, brief and non-recurring.

"Our mission is to ensure that all residents have access to housing which is warm, safe, habitable and affordable."

Project manager and Tauranga City Council Community Development Advisor Jodie Robertson said Kāinga Tupu has some aspirational goals to achieve by 2023.

"We have a series of priority actions across all workstreams to deliver those goals, with response and recovery to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic being a top priority," she said.

Powell said that having set its goals, Kāinga Tupu: Growing Homes now needed to maintain the momentum.

"The taskforce will meet every month to monitor progress and overcome obstacles and will share more information on its action plans as the activities they involve are rolled-out."