Lack of play areas for kids in emergency housing prompts wellbeing concerns
19 Apr, 2021 06:00 PM
6 minutes to read
There are concerns cramped conditions in emergency housing could harm children s development. Photo / File
A lack of safe spaces for children to play in Rotorua motels used for emergency housing has some worried children s development and wellbeing will suffer long term. This follows long-held concerns that kids living in motels - potentially spending weeks in cramped conditions - are being exposed to distressing situations, with families living alongside gang members.
Official documents show ministers were warned about the risks to public safety in Rotorua a year ago, and that week-by-week motel accommodation is not so suitable for families, or those with high needs, Radio New Zealand revealed yesterday.
Rotorua Chamber of Commerce survey: Businesses say no to housing homeless in CBD
11 Feb, 2021 05:00 PM
4 minutes to read
The Lava Bar and X Base Backpackers on Arawa St. Photo / Kelly Makiha
A proposal to convert the Lava Bar and X Base Backpackers into housing for the homeless has been met with strong resistance from Rotorua businesses. A Chamber of Commerce survey has found 89 per cent of the 365 people who had responded as of Wednesday afternoon did not want the plans to go ahead.
A private property investor from Auckland, Peter Bidois of Torin Holdings, has told the Rotorua Daily Post he had signed a deal to buy the lease of Lava Bar and X Base Backpackers for 15 years.
A petition calling for urgent council action on city safety and homelessness in Rotorua has garnered more than 1000 signatures in less than a week.
Meredith Herbert has launched a petition calling for urgent action on homelessness and city safety from the council and Steve Chadwick.
Photo: LDR / Rotorua Daily Post
Petitioner Meredith Herbert has also invited mayor Steve Chadwick to organise or attend a public forum to hear peoples experiences first hand.
Chadwick says she understands the frustration around city safety, saying it was top of mind , but stopped short of committing to a public forum on the issues.
While Visions of a Helping Hand chief executive Tiny Deane said it was a maximum of four rough sleepers who engaged in antisocial or violent behaviour and homeless people were often unfairly blamed for bad behaviour in the city.