Whanganui District Council’s homeless support site set to launch this month

Tupoho Social Services will provide wraparound support at the Taupō Quay site. Photo / Mike Tweed

Whanganui’s homeless support site at 83 Taupō Quay is almost ready to go.

It was approved by the Whanganui District Council in February, with ratepayers set to provide between $170,000 and $376,000 for operational costs over 12 to 24 months.

A report from council community wellbeing manager, Lauren Tamehana, said the site was “well under way to be in place by mid-May”.

Work had taken longer than expected due to legislative requirements for building consents, plumbing and electrical compliance and a refit of the toilet shower option for disability access.

There had also been a redesign of the office portacom to ensure the safety of staff who might be working on their own.

Tamehana presented the report at the council’s operations and performance committee meeting this week.

She said an agreement between the council and Tupoho, which would provide wrap-around support at the Taupō Quay site, was being worked through.

“[Tupoho] just want to get things started,” she said.

“We don’t know how much time it will take on a daily basis but they are open to being a little bit flexible, along with us, to make sure we get the right mix.”

The report said the council would work with another provider to ensure homeless people still in Anzac Pde and Springvale were offered the same support.

Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan said Whanganui East residents remained unhappy about the Anzac Pde site.

“Have you got any indication that homeless people are happy to be moved to our homeless site which we are supporting?” she said.

Council chief executive David Langford said the council was embarking on a difficult challenge and filling in the gaps left by government agencies.

“To answer your question, is it going to fix the problems? Absolutely no, no way. Will it make things a little bit better than the status quo we had previously? Hopefully, yes.

“What we are doing in Anzac Pde and Taupō Quay is not going to solve the problem.

“It’s being done in the spirit of progress rather than delayed perfection.”

Roving security, between Taupō Quay, Springvale Park and Anzac Pde, had been in place since February 28 and there were no reported incidents, the report said.

Councillor Kate Joblin said homelessness was an extremely complex issue and one that had been in the making for 50 years.

“It’s happened because successive governments have ignored affordable housing and allowed unaffordable housing to most people flourish.

“Creating a small hub, where those that are homeless can be supported to help find a future, is absolutely what we should be doing.

“I’m really proud of it.”

Tamehana said the council was meeting with contractors this week to start a feasibility study on a longer-term homelessness solution.

Money for the study came from the council’s share of central government’s Better-Off funding.