Rotorua homeless crisis: Hundreds expected at public meeting

Rotorua MP Todd McClay has rescheduled a public meeting about homelessness for Monday night. Photo / File

Hundreds of people frustrated with Rotorua's growing homeless problem are expected to turn out to a public meeting on Monday.

Hosted by Todd McClay at the Arawa Bowling Club from 5.30pm, the meeting is designed to allow Glenholme residents an opportunity to talk about the issues they are facing with an increase in people living in nearby emergency housing motels.

McClay said he would address the meeting, a Neighbourhood Support leader would give a run-down of the issues and publican Reg Hennessy would talk briefly about problems in the central business district.

Following that, he wanted to hear from residents about their concerns over homelessness, social disorder and crime.

The meeting is designed to come up with a plan to take the concerns to a higher level.

McClay said he understood some city leaders and social service agencies would be attending but they hadn't been invited to speak.

"They were told they were welcome to come but if I got them there to speak it would become a talkfest so I'm not putting them up on stage. The purpose of it is to hear from the people."

McClay said Rotorua's homeless problem had been in the media in the past week, with the latest quarterly housing report showing $5.6 million was spent on emergency housing between September and December last year. That was an increase of nearly $1m on the previous quarter.

The issue was also raised at a Rotorua Lakes Council meeting on Thursday, when district councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait expressed concern about children growing up in motels next to gang members and Australia's "501" deportees.

Raukawa-Tait made the comments at the council Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee meeting as part of discussions about a draft council plan to address community safety.

So-called 501 deportees are criminal New Zealand citizens deported from Australia.

The meeting also learned there were about 370 children in Rotorua's emergency housing.

"Having more than 350 children in motels and living next to gang members and people released from prison in Australia is totally unacceptable."