Te Whare Ora 111 Charitable Trust, which formed in November last year, is using an Anglican Church-owned site in Ohauiti Rd as an emergency haven for the homeless.
Spokeswoman Anne-Marie Andrews was joined by trustee Vicki Davies in making a submission to Tauranga City Council during public hearings on the council's draft 2019-20 Annual Plan this week.
Andrews said the campsite provided temporary, emergency housing for 24 people including seven children - and received requests weekly for help from homeless people and families.
The facilities included a community hall with a common space, kitchen, toilets and a shower. There were also caravans on the site.
The trust asked the council for funding to install portable homes, such as cabins or pods, and portable bathrooms or an ablution block, and upgrade the hall to include a commercial kitchen.
The trust estimated it would need $300,000 for 10 portable plus five portable bathrooms costing $19,000 each - a total of $395,000.
The campsite had previously breached council regulations due to having too many people living on the property without proper consent.
It had also faced ire from neighbouring residents who said it lowered property values and posed health risks.
The trust aspired to establish an op shop to sell donated goods, which would cost $90,000 to cover the lease and operating costs for five years.
The trust supplied a breakdown of wages for nine administration, a social worker and security staff for three years, which totalled $374,400.
The trust also wished to fence and gate the property, along with installing a monitored security system.
The trust said it aimed to provide services and programmes that empowered residents and the wider community, including employment opportunities, personal development, life skills, addiction services and creative activities.
The trust requested support from the council to meet resource consent and council requirements, along with joint funding from both the council and the central government.
It also wished to secure full time employment initiatives for homeless residents through partnering with the council and the Ministry of Social Development.
Councillor Terry Molloy asked whether the trust had consulted council regarding the Community Development Match Fund, where council contributed 50 per cent of a project's costs up to $10,000.
Trustee Vicki Davies said she was not aware of the fund and would look into it.
Deputy Mayor Kelvin Clout asked whether the trust had spoken with the Ministry of Social Development and what support the Ministry was offering.
Davies said it had been in contact with the Ministry but at this stage, nothing tangible had come from the discussions.
