Are we a city that cares?

Opinion piece by Jodi Watene

Across Porirua, more of us are noticing people sleeping rough in our public spaces. It’s visible. It’s confronting. And it’s prompting conversation about what should happen next.

At the same time, new move-on powers are being introduced. The intent is to support safety in public places. That matters. But it also raises a deeper question for our city.

Are we a city that cares?

We know this sits within a wider housing shortage across Aotearoa. There simply aren’t enough homes, and demand continues to grow. But what we are seeing on our streets is only one part of a much bigger picture.

Rough sleeping is the most visible edge. We don’t have full visibility of how many people in Porirua don’t have somewhere they call their home. We know there are whānau couch surfing, staying in overcrowded homes, or moving frequently just to get by. The reasons are many. Family violence. Poverty. Mental health. Addiction. Trauma. Financial stress.

For many, housing instability is not a single issue. It is layered and complex.

“Unaffordable housing has affected my mental health because the insecurity of not knowing if you have a home in the future and always having to move house to house. I could never stay with the same friends for long.”
— Rangatahi at Reimagining Session on mental health

Porirua is not short of people who care. Across our city, providers are working hard every day to support whānau, often going above and beyond to respond to complex needs. That mahi matters, and it is making a difference. But those same providers are also telling us something important. That while there is strong commitment, there are still gaps. That navigating the system can be difficult. That more coordination and support across the system would help ensure whānau don’t fall through. Which is why this is not just about housing supply. It is about whether our system works for whānau.

When there is nowhere to go, “move on” does not resolve the issue. It simply shifts it. From one place to another. Out of sight, but not solved!

Between rough sleeping and stable housing sits a system that is difficult to navigate. Often fragmented and not always responding at the right time, in the right way.

For some, that shows up in the hardest possible ways:

“I was homeless and you say I don’t qualify.”
— Young hapū māmā at Reimagining Session on maternal health

“Not living in fear of getting kicked out of housing.”
— Māmā at Reimagining Session on maternal health

If we believe in making Porirua the best place to raise a whānau, then that has to mean everyone has access to what they need to thrive. That includes those without a home.

So the question becomes not just what we do, but how we respond. Are we a city where we give people a hand up? Not to be confused with a hand out. A hand up is about connection, support, and creating real pathways forward.

We all acknowledge this is a complex issue. It requires a collective response. No one organisation, agency, or system can do this alone.

Housing has been identified as a priority focus by the Porirua Community Leaders’ Forum, reflecting what our community has been telling us and the urgency to respond together.

That is why the Porirua Housing kaupapa rōpū matters. This week, 14 organisations came together for the first hui. Fourteen organisations willing and ready to work together for the collective good of whānau in Porirua.

The focus is clear. Supporting people from those sleeping rough through to those needing support into social housing and beyond.

This is what a movement looks like. 

Because this is not just about managing visibility. It is about strengthening the system so it works better for whānau.

Safety in our public spaces matters. And so does ensuring people have somewhere safe to go. One without the other will not work.

We can choose to move people on.
Or we can choose to move together toward solutions.

If you have something to contribute, we invite you to join us HERE. 

Because this is about all of us.

The question is not just what we do next.
It’s what kind of City we want to be?

One that cares for its people.
Or one that chooses not to see them.