Key Takeaways:
- Businesses in Tauranga’s CBD are suffering due to issues with aggressive rough sleepers, which is undermining revitalization efforts.
- Homelessness-related complaints to the Tauranga City Council have more than doubled since 2021, with 706 complaints in 2024/25.
- The solutions to homelessness are complex and go beyond just providing enough housing, requiring a multi-agency approach to address health, addiction, trauma, and poverty.
- Business owners and staff have reported experiencing aggressive encounters and disruption, with some having to clean up urine and feces from their premises.
- The Tauranga City Council and other organizations are working together to address homelessness, but more needs to be done to provide long-term solutions.
Introduction to the Issue
The city of Tauranga is facing a growing problem with homelessness, which is having a significant impact on businesses in the central business district (CBD). Many business owners and staff have reported experiencing aggressive encounters and disruption, with some having to clean up urine and feces from their premises. The issue is not just about providing enough housing, but also about addressing the underlying causes of homelessness, such as poverty, addiction, and trauma. The Tauranga City Council and other organizations are working together to address the issue, but more needs to be done to provide long-term solutions.
Businesses Affected by Homelessness
Businesses in the CBD are suffering due to the presence of aggressive rough sleepers. Penny Henderson, who owns The Pottery Studio, said that the business had moved from Devonport Rd to 10th Ave, in part because of issues caused by the homeless in the CBD. "They could become quite aggressive. We’ve had one get really angry outside and start kicking things. Police came and took him away." Many business owners have reported similar experiences, with some having to deal with daily urine clean-ups and aggressive behavior from rough sleepers. Josh Fitzgerald, owner of Barrio Brothers and Sugo, said that the homelessness situation was not helping to make the CBD a more attractive place. "Belongings are scattered all through the public space. They have full campsites." He had no issue with homeless people sitting and begging for money, but "they have taken over". "It’s the CBD business owners who suffer."
Complexity of the Issue
The issue of homelessness is complex and requires a multi-agency approach to address. Ani Stace, strategic partnership and funding manager at Under the Stars, a charitable trust that offers free meals for homeless and needy people, said that getting into state housing was "extremely difficult", with long waiting lists and extra hurdles for people with criminal records. She said that most people living rough in the CBD were "not equipped to move into housing", and that until support was offered, there was no way that homelessness would improve. Amanda Kelly, policy and practice manager at Community Housing Aotearoa, said that homelessness was not just about housing, but about health, addiction, trauma, and poverty. "We know what works – collaboration, culturally grounded responses, and more affordable housing with appropriate support."
Rise in Complaints
Homelessness-related complaints to the Tauranga City Council’s customer service centre increased by 156.73% between 2021 and 2025. Complaints hit 706 in 2024/25, and were largely related to welfare concerns, rough sleeping in public spaces, and antisocial behavior around shopfronts. The council’s 2025 Residents’ Survey found that 85% of respondents believed homelessness in Tauranga was an issue in the past 12 months, a sentiment that had "significantly increased" since 2024. Alex Miller, the council’s regulatory and community services acting general manager, said that recent Census data showed an increase in severe housing deprivation in Tauranga and New Zealand.
Efforts to Address Homelessness
The Tauranga City Council and other organizations are working together to address homelessness. Downtown Tauranga manager Genevieve Whitson said that the organization worked with the council and police to tackle homelessness-related issues. The council’s City Safety Engagement Team supported CBD businesses with safety and security, and had been doing an "excellent" job of helping address homelessness issues. The Ministry of Social Development regional commissioner, Jacob Davies, said that the ministry supported whānau experiencing housing hardship to help them find somewhere to stay. The ministry’s housing register had 660 applicants in Tauranga on the waiting list for public housing in September, which was fewer than in the past few years but about 100 more than in 2020.
Conclusion
The issue of homelessness in Tauranga is complex and requires a multi-agency approach to address. Businesses in the CBD are suffering due to the presence of aggressive rough sleepers, and the solutions go beyond just providing enough housing. The Tauranga City Council and other organizations are working together to address the issue, but more needs to be done to provide long-term solutions. As Amanda Kelly said, "We know what works – collaboration, culturally grounded responses, and more affordable housing with appropriate support." It is essential that the community comes together to address the issue of homelessness and provide support to those in need.