The Whanganui District Council has announced a notable reduction in the number of homeless individuals occupying freedom camping areas within the region.
Jeanette Te Ua-Hausman, the council’s housing adviser, revealed that the Anzac Parade site previously accommodated six tents, while Taupō Quay had 16 tents in December of the preceding year. Presently, each site houses only two tents. Te Ua-Hausman highlighted the collaborative efforts between the council and the Whanganui People’s Centre, an advocacy organization, as instrumental in achieving these results.
According to Te Ua-Hausman’s report, staff from the Whanganui People’s Centre made 185 visits to freedom camping sites between June and December, assisting seven homeless individuals in securing social housing and facilitating 16 others into private rentals. Additionally, three more individuals have since found housing. The council’s compliance team conducted daily visits during this period, issuing one infringement related to homelessness and enforcing four trespassing notices for antisocial behaviors.
In December 2023, the district councillors unanimously voted to discontinue the Taupō Quay homeless hub following recommendations from consultancy firm WSP. The report suggested reallocating funds to provide ongoing wrap-around support services.
One of the success stories highlighted by the People’s Centre involved assisting a large family living in multiple vehicles in securing a permanent residence. Te Ua-Hausman emphasized the importance of building rapport with clients to address the underlying issues contributing to homelessness effectively.
Speaking at a council operations and performance committee, Te Ua-Hausman addressed concerns from the community regarding public spaces surrounding freedom camping areas. She reassured that the decrease in the utilization of these spaces was minimal compared to the continued use of surrounding amenities such as walkways, parks, and facilities.
Te Ua-Hausman’s report also noted that there were 312 Whanganui applicants on the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) housing register in December, with 28 applications facilitated by the People’s Centre. Armourguard Security conducted 807 visits to the freedom camping sites since last June.
Councillor Rob Vinsen raised concerns about the cost-effectiveness of the security visits and suggested scaling back the frequency to respond only to incidents. Council chief executive David Langford affirmed the current purpose of the visits in controlling antisocial behavior and expressed willingness to explore cost-saving measures if viable.
Vinsen emphasized the need to distinguish between genuine freedom campers and the homeless population to preserve the city’s reputation. The council’s freedom camping bylaw permits homeless individuals on the MSD housing register to reside at the sites.
Councillor Peter Oskam expressed comfort with the presence of the Anzac Parade site, viewing it as a reminder of Whanganui’s homelessness issue that necessitates daily attention and action.
In conclusion, the collaborative efforts between the Whanganui District Council, advocacy organizations, and community stakeholders have led to a noticeable reduction in the homeless population at freedom camping sites, highlighting progress in addressing the complex issue of homelessness within the region.