Lifewise's Haehaetu Barrett. Photo / File
The Government's "place-based assessment" plan regarding Rotorua's homelessness crisis has left some community support services concerned too little is being done to help the homeless situation immediately.
But the Government says without partnerships, it cannot deliver solutions.
The assessment, announced by Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods last week, would help the Government better understand the causes of housing pressure and then the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development would work with Rotorua Lakes Council and Te Arawa "to find housing solutions" in the city.
But Tiny Deane, manager of Visions for a Helping Hand, said accommodation was needed now, not in six months.
"I'm not interested in the long-term," he said.
"I thought they were going to bring out a solution to combat our homeless that are needy right now - the ones that are affecting our businesses, our business owners in town."
Deane called for the "red tape" to be cut so something could be put into place to help the accommodation crisis.
"We can put tiny homes or one-bedders somewhere. Put an ablution block in and manage the facility or purpose-build something in a hurry ... We need to get [the homeless] out of the CBD."
He was concerned the longer the homeless were in the CBD and hotels, the more tourism and business in the city would be affected.
"Before my heart was with the homeless ... I could see their pain. But now - my heart is still with the homeless, but I'm saying 'You've got to pull your head in'."
Deane said the crisis was slowly wearing down businesses in the CBD.
"It's destroying business. Without business in a town, you're not going to get tourists."
Lifewise regional manager Haehaetu Barrett said the announcement "upped the ante" and made a recognised community approach towards homelessness in the region.
Homelessness in the region was a "high complexity" issue, she said.
"It's not just about lack of supply, it's also about mental health and addiction, poverty."
The number of people on the social housing register in Rotorua has risen dramatically in the last five years, from 20 in December 2014, to 479 in December 2019.
Kim Going, acting regional commissioner for the Ministry of Social Development, said the increase in applicants on the social housing register was "directly attributable" to the current shortage of available and affordable homes in the Rotorua region.
"We are here to help and are working with people on the social housing register to ensure they have somewhere dry, safe and warm to live," she said.
Housing Minister Megan Woods said there was an "urgent and pressing" need in Rotorua and more needed to be done.
"That is why I have asked the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to work closely with Rotorua Lakes Council and Te Arawa," she said.
"Our first commitment as part of that work is for council, Te Arawa, and Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities to work together to identify vacant land suitable for transitional and public housing."
Rotorua has been deemed a "priority area", Woods said.
"It is the second designated region to undergo a place-based assessment. The reality is that without this partnership, central government cannot deliver solutions."
Rotorua MP Todd McClay said the Government's assessment fell well short of what was needed.
"Rotorua will be deeply disappointed to hear the Government has started a working group to look at a problem that has been obvious for two years," he said.
"You can't house a homeless person in a meeting."