Tauranga social agencies gear up to care for vulnerable during AIMS Games

Tauranga Moana Aunties member and Street Kai organiser Tracey Carlton. Photo / File

For better or worse, the influx of visitors due to the AIMS Games have highlighted Tauranga's housing shortage in past years. Social agencies are gearing up for a busy week, although they report the situation seems better than in previous years. Reporter Jean Bell looks into the impact the AIMS Games will have on our most vulnerable this year.

Social agencies in Tauranga are again gearing up to take care of homeless people squeezed out of temporary accommodation during the AIMS Games.

Tracey Carlton, Tauranga Moana Aunties member and Street Kai organiser, said the organisation was anticipating a record number of people turning out to Milo Night during the games.

She said the number of people attending the Monday night gathering had steadily increased in the last few years, driven by the increasing need in the community and the lack of affordable housing.

A year ago, about 60 people come to an average Milo Night. During the games, this jumped to more than 100.

Tauranga Moana Aunties member and Street Kai organiser Tracey Carlton. Photo / File

Now, about 120 people turned out to Milo Night and Carlton anticipated 160 people would attend next Monday. "The level of anxiety and stress is real. People wonder how they're going to look after their families for the week."

She said "friends of Milo Night" had offered up spare rooms in their home for homeless people. In previous years, Curate Church members had also offered up rooms.

Anchor AIMS Games tournament director Vicki Semple said the event had been running for 16 years and the issue had only arisen in recent years.

"I'm horrified by the prospect of people being displaced and we are hugely supportive of the likes of Women's Refuge, who do an incredible job in the community."

She said the dates of the event were released more than two years in advance and most schools booked more than a year out.

"My question would be why social agencies are using motels as emergency housing, knowing these prior bookings are in place ... especially since Tauranga is a popular holiday destination and presumably there are other times of the year where accommodation pressures are just as high."

She said the tournament organisers had worked hard in recent years to house athletes in a range of accommodation, such as a lifestyle village or billeting.

Tauranga Moana Aunties' Susan Devoy said plans to make extra food available at next week's Milo Night had begun weeks ago.

"The most important people in this city are the people who live here and we should be making every possible provision to help," she said.

Awhina House manager Angela Wallace said the accommodation pressure came up every year and left people staying in cars, tents or with friends, or heading out of town for the week.

Te Tuinga Whānau's Tommy Wilson and Awhina House manager Angela Wallace. Photo / File

"Any solution they can get is an option."

To date, five women had been referred to Awhina House who had been displaced from their accommodation due to this year's games.

At this stage, it was yet to be decided whether the women would stay at Awhina House.

She believed the game's organisers were aware of the issue and did not want to be displacing people.

Te Tuinga Whānau's Tommy Wilson said the situation was getting better, thanks to the underlying housing crisis being highlighted by the event.

"This time two years ago we were flooded by displaced motel residents."

He said the service had two converted motels in Tauranga, managed by the social service and funded by the Ministry of Social development, which were used as emergency accommodation to house people who would otherwise be affected by the games.

The People's Project Tauranga service manager Simone Cuers said the service had not experienced an increase in inquiries from displaced people.

Accommodation New Zealand Bay of Plenty chairman Tony Bullot. Photo / File

Accommodation New Zealand Bay of Plenty chairman Tony Bullot said around a quarter of its members took Ministry of Social Development clients and there had been a small number of requests for accommodation funded by the Ministry during the games.

Overall, the AIMS Games were "hugely beneficial" for the city's economy and population and people were in emergency accommodation due to other unfortunate circumstances, he said.

Tauranga City Council general manager of community services Gareth Wallis said the council had social agencies express concerns about the impact of the AIMS Games but it was the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Development and providers to plan ahead.

Ministry of Social Development acting regional commissioner Dominic Lepa said the games put pressure on the tight accommodation sector.

He said the Ministry worked with emergency housing clients and moteliers ahead of long-standing events like the games to ensure they were aware of the options available.

"This includes staying with friends or whānau for the week or helping them move outside Tauranga while the games are on ... we assist with transport and petrol costs if someone has to temporarily relocate."