A sign of homelessness in central Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Luke McPake
Housing advocates are worried officials may be making moves to push rough sleepers out of central Auckland.
Representatives from Auckland City Mission, Visionwest, Lifewise, Kāhui Tū Kaha, Te Matapihi, Community Housing Aotearoa and Housing First Auckland told RNZ they believed the government was taking an urgent, "move on" approach to homelessness.
Their concern was sparked by a meeting held recently involving Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown.
Brown confirmed he met with "central government agencies", Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, and "a range of stakeholders" to "discuss safety in Auckland's CBD".
"The purpose of this meeting was to discuss practical safety improvements, rather than legislative changes," he said.
"As Minister for Auckland, my role is to ensure agencies, local government, and community organisations are working together to improve safety, strengthen coordination, and support better housing outcomes."
Matters relating to legislation or enforcement fell outside his responsibilities as Minister for Auckland, he said.
He did not answer specific questions about what was discussed in the meeting.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown Photo: Jessica Hopkins / RNZ
Wayne Brown said council was working more closely with the police and others "to address immediate concerns" about central city safety, and it would consider other options like strengthening bylaws in due course, he said.
He would not say which bylaws he was referring to.
RNZ has approached police for comment.
The mayor hoped the meeting was the first of many that would co-ordinate efforts to improve central city safety.
"I am an advocate of council looking after places and government taking care of people behaviour," he said.
"It's a complex issue but I'm happy to work collaboratively with agencies and government."
The housing advocates requested an urgent hui this week with Simeon Brown, as well as Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka.
The ministers did not answer RNZ's questions about whether they would accept the invitations.
But the advocates said they were now "in constructive conversation" with government ministers and officials.
The group said they shared the government's concern about the rise in homelessness in central Auckland, but were worried about the approach it might be taking.
"We are ready to work with the government on proven and effective approaches that create lasting change for all."
They said proven solutions included Housing First, a programme many of their organisations deliver by helping people sleeping rough into homes and supporting them to ensure they can sustain their tenancy.
Housing First Auckland programme manager Rami Alrudaini told RNZ that an enforcement or punitive "move-on" approach to rough sleeping would only "displace the problem and cause more harm".
"Delivering proven programmes that provide housing, health, and wrap-around support is the most effective way to address homelessness," he said.
"We need to expand access to Housing First and tangata whenua-led responses, create more immediate and safe shelter options, and rapidly scale up mental health and addiction services."
Alrudaini said he was encouraged to now be in "constructive conversation" with ministers and officials.
Auckland City Missioner Helen Robinson told RNZ that any enforcement approach would be "totally and utterly ineffective".
"People who are rough sleeping are human beings, and any kind of enforcement approach is not only not good, but it's also ineffective," she said.
"All it simply does is either delay or literally move the person, and therefore all the needs associated with that person down the road - both literally and metaphorically. The answer here is more homes and more support."
In September the government funded an additional 300 social homes through Housing First and put $10 million towards support services for people sleeping rough.
In Parliament on Tuesday, Labour leader Chris Hipkins asked Prime Minister Christopher Luxon whether the government was considering a law change to ban homeless people from central business districts.
Luxon replied: "There have been no Cabinet decisions or discussion on that topic."
He said the government was doing everything it could to support homeless people, pointing to the extra Housing First places.
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