Ten people were trespassed by the Rotorua Lakes Council from Amohia St last Wednesday and made to move their makeshift camp.
The action came after complaints about the behaviour of rough sleepers – including drinking, doing drugs, “s**ting” in doorways and public sex – impacting businesses and passers-by.
A Link People spokesman told the meeting finding homes wasn’t always a solution as he had a tenant who preferred sleeping on the streets.
“She has been a tenant for over a year but she doesn’t sleep in her house … It is immaculate.
“Every time you go there you know she hasn’t been there. I see her on the street nearly every week.”
He said they were in almost daily contact with the woman and she had complex mental health issues but there was little more they could do.
Rotorua Salvation Army community ministries manager Darnielle Hoods told the meeting they would never turn people away.
“We will always live by the mission and the values of our army. Caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society ... that is who we are.
“Although they might be trespassed from the footpath, they are not trespassed from our building so we will continue to bring them kai.”
She said there were about 100 rough sleepers in Rotorua – not all were in the CBD.
“I get that it looks hideous, you think we like it?”
She said the Salvation Army had built a rapport with the homeless and had offered to bring them to the meeting, but they declined.
One woman at the meeting said that was a shame as their input would have been good.
“The very people who require this didn’t want to come.”
She questioned why social services kept feeding people.
“A kitten will keep coming back if you keep feeding it.
“If we keep feeding them, will it keep being repetitive behaviour and your job will never be over? If it seems derogatory, I don’t mean it to be.”
Te Whatanui Skipwith, who worked with homeless people in Auckland, said many could not hold conversations, let alone attend a public meeting.
“It can be daunting for them. It is not mana-enhancing.”
A Salvation Army worker said she treated the homeless like whānau. She and her husband got them fish and chips after they were trespassed.
“I don’t care if people look at us and moan, well you moan - I ain’t going to stop doing what I’m doing ... it’s about manaakitanga [hospitality, kindness].”
Another woman said it was wonderful what everyone was doing it should not be an everyday occurrence.
“We need to change it up or we will keep on doing the same thing.”
Lynley Deane, from Visions of a Helping Hand Charitable Trust, said a spokesperson from the rough sleepers was needed.
“We need their voices and we need to know what they want.”
She said they would not move unless they wanted to and many would not want to live somewhere with too many rules.
Some did not want to change their habits and would not go to rehab.
The key was finding somewhere for them that did not impact on society, the CBD and businesses.
“If they are not impacting on society and they are still living that life that they are choosing, then so be it.
“We have to listen to them. A lot of these people will struggle to maintain a rental property and live with others.”
Rotorua resident Ryan Gray said his main concern was what would happen when contracted emergency accommodation ended in December.
“Once that stops, I worry what will happen to our city and the people. There doesn’t seem to be much of a plan.”
Julie King from Love Soup Rotorua asked the group whether housing the homeless “close to town” with wraparound services and transport would be an option.
A woman in the audience said it was not, as they always wanted to be in town.
King said they would put together a database to document what each agency did to ensure no duplicates. Weekly online meetings on Mondays would be held to discuss action points.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
