At the meeting organisations related to housing or homelessness and associated issues discussed how to take a multi-agency approach to the issue, with one simple aim: to have everyone in the community have a safe place to live.
the Tauranga Homelessness Steering Group was formed so that the different agencies could combine their efforts, use collective expertise and work together to address homelessness and emergency housing needs.
The organisations represented in the group included city council, local iwi, Ministry of Social Development, police, Bay of Plenty District Health Board, Housing NZ, Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services and Tauranga Community Housing Trust.
The statement the group released said the visible rough sleepers in Tauranga were only a small part of the wider issue of homelessness.
"The reality is that 'homelessness' takes many forms, from those who are absolutely without any place to call home, to the 'hidden homeless' - people who have no security in their housing who might be staying in night shelters, backpackers or boarding houses, or living in a car, garage or sleep out without electricity or water," it said.