Sleeping bags in doorways are increasingly common across Tauranga.

Homelessness is a hugely complex problem for communities in New Zealand and around the world, Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale said.

“There is no simple answer, but a genuine multi-agency community response, backed by effective Government policy and funding, does offer the best prospect of addressing the profound impacts of homelessness,” Drysdale said.

The Aotearoa Homelessness Summit will take place on April 16 at the University of Waikato’s Tauranga Campus to help address the ongoing challenges and cascading effects of homelessness across various communities.

The theme of this year’s summit - When the Dominoes Keep Falling - will examine the ongoing challenges and cascading effects of homelessness in our communities.

“I applaud this initiative and sincerely hope it can lead to effective initiatives to tackle what may be the most significant social issue of our time,” Drysdale said.

In Tauranga, an estimated 2.8% of the city’s population - approximately 4000 people - experience homelessness in some form, manager of community development and emergency management at Tauranga City Council Paula Naude said.

“These are just the recorded numbers,” Naude said.

“The actual number of people experiencing homelessness could be much higher, but some people aren’t seeking external support and are falling through the gaps.”

Homelessness isn’t merely people sleeping rough or in cars.

It covers multiple situations, including makeshift shelters, temporary accommodations, night shelters, boarding houses, refuges, motor campsites, shared living spaces, and uninhabitable housing.

“Homelessness is not a choice. At the Aotearoa Homelessness Summit, we need to address this collectively,” Naude said.

The summit’s keynote speaker is the Associate Minister for Housing and Minister of Whānau Ora, Māori Crown Relations and Māori Development, Tama Potaka.

Before the Aotearoa Homelessness Summit, a local government workshop on homelessness response will take place on Tuesday, April 15.

This pre-summit event will cover creating a New Zealand-based regional guide for homelessness response and reduction.

The Aotearoa Homelessness Summit is organised by the Tauranga City Council, University of Waikato (Tauranga), BayTrust, and several other organisations focused on housing and social support.