Whanganui District Council is still waiting full sign-off for the new homeless hub on Taupō Quay. Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui District Council chief executive David Langford says he will “vigorously” defend the progress made on Whanganui’s new homeless hub.
Full facilities are not yet operating at the new hub on Taupō Quay but some have already made it their primary residence.
Progress has been made on resource consent following successful consultation with the Department of Conservation about land categorisation but the council is still awaiting sign-off before it will be formally closed as a freedom camping site and begin operating exclusively as a homeless hub.
Council’s housing adviser Jeanette Te Ua-Hausman told the council’s operations and performance committee those using the site as their primary place of residence were being supported by iwi Tupoho’s social services.
“Tupoho has gone above and beyond in support of our community by supplying our residents inside with food packages and extra items like blankets and things that they can make their living as comfortable as we possibly can,” she said.
The council expects a report back next week from Align which is managing the consent application on its behalf.
Once that is signed off two containers - one fitted out as an ablution block with accessible toilets and showers with hot water, and a portacom with a kitchenette and office space - will be moved onsite and connected to services.
Tupoho will then begin daily visits to the site, offering other supportive services like financial budgeting, medical and mental health services, and assistance with literacy requirements.
“It is pleasing to see we are now overcoming those unexpected consenting issues and starting to get the full service up and running as originally planned,” Langford said.
“I’m aware we are now in some really constructive conversations with some of the other Government agencies that should be involved in this space and we’re hoping that soon we’ll be able to report they’ll be making a contribution to cover some of the costs.
“I don’t want to talk any more about that until we’ve got something locked in but it’s looking really good.”
The site is expected to cost $173,000 over 18 months.
Te Ua-Hausman said people who were homeless at other sites were being supported by other community groups.
Once consent was signed off, the council intended to move people to Taupō Quay.
“We want to make Taupō Quay as attractive as we can by offering wifi and having the ablution services there. Once those services are in place there will be consultation with those on those other sites to encourage them to come to Taupō Quay.”
Langford said as of March this year the housing waiting list in Whanganui had about 350 people.
“Taupō Quay was never going to be a solution to the homelessness issue, it was always going to provide a modest amount of relief and work is still ongoing in terms of a longer-term solution.”
Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan said people in the community wanted to see progress and it was something councillors were asked about a lot.
Langford said the homeless hub was an unplanned project and the council had done well under the circumstances.
“I will defend our performance on this quite vigorously because I think we’ve gone above and beyond to do something that didn’t have the benefit of a well-thought-through plan and plenty of time before we jumped in.
“I think our staff have done a good job. I think you as governors have done a good job as well. We are delivering more than we really ought to be and filling in the gaps left by other government agencies.”
He said there had been progress.
“Taupō Quay has been operating for many weeks now, albeit we haven’t got a couple of the buildings on site, but it’s been open.
“We’ve been providing social wraparound services for a week, we’ve been actively managing the other freedom camping site for many months now and we’ve seen a notable drop off in anti-social behaviour and that is down to the hard work of our staff and our partners.”
Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe said there were two reasons for the Taupō Quay homeless hub which he called a “temporary arrangement”.
“One is to have a single managed site and the second is the Anzac Pde site was deemed to be not sustainable for many reasons - apart from being an eyesore.
“I think we’ve stepped up in an area where there has been a void.”
Deputy Mayor Helen Craig said the council was involved “because homelessness is not accepted in New Zealand” but wanted to know what was next.
She said councillors were receiving constant comments from the community about the “continuing use of probably very high profile sites such as Anzac Pde and the Springvale Stadium area for long-term living as opposed to freedom camping”.
“And the biggest issue for many of us in the community is that those who are true freedom campers come to these sites and say ‘no way Jose’ and there will be a number who are moving on to other places in New Zealand,” Craig said.
“That must have an effect on our reputation as well.”
Councillor Rob Vinsen said he was opposed to the Taupō Quay site and said it would not house many people.
“It’s been said around this table we should be proud of what we’re doing for these homeless people. I’m not proud about Anzac Pde, I’m actually feeling embarrassed by it.
“Because I think it’s actually quite shameful what we’re putting in front of the Whanganui East community. It’s shameful what we’re doing to our image of Whanganui and our destination for freedom campers.
“Taupō Quay is not an alternative of any description. Why we’re going to spend maybe $200,000 down there, for that number of people, to provide those facilities is just ridiculous.
“We need to come up with a better site. There are pieces of land that this council owns that could be covered with shellrock tomorrow, put the water on ... put those 20-ft containers there and you might have 30-40 people there.
“But Taupō Quay, that is just ridiculous. Just be realistic please and have a look at the size of that site.”
Councillor Ross Fallen said the antisocial behaviours had “largely been dealt with”.
“Aesthetically, it may not look good. Whatever. Get over it New Zealand. I’ve lived in London, I’ve been to the US, I lived in Australia in major cities ... what we have in Whanganui is minor.
“I would say to people who are concerned about the visual look and potential reputation damage to Whanganui - get over it.
“The situation is what it is. The council has responded to public demand about personal safety.
“If some people can be provided with a safe place and space where they can toilet, they can shower, they can prep a meal, let’s do that.”
Councillor Glenda Brown said Taupō Quay was a “temporary solution while a permanent solution is found”.
“We did not create that situation in Whanganui East, full stop. We did not foresee 350 people who were homeless. That is a situation that we have to be dealing with and part of the reason we’re dealing with it is central Government has not stepped up to the mark and we are.
“Taupō Quay is not the answer, it’s a temporary solution. We’ve known that for months but we keep coming back to these comments that Taupō Quay is not working and it’s not suitable.”
Zaryd Wilson has been a journalist covering the lower North Island for more than a decade. He joined the Whanganui Chronicle as a reporter in 2014 and has been editor since 2021.