Nelson’s Homeless Problem: Is A Shelter The Solution?

Wednesday, 23 July 2025, 2:02 pm
Article: Max Frethey - Local Democracy Reporter

Amid concerns around the behaviour of some homeless people in central Nelson, one charity is renewing calls for a night shelter in the city.

Earlier this month, Simon Duffy from business promoter Uniquely Nelson told Nelson City Council that there had been an “escalation” of people living on the street over the past 2 years.

He was joined by Lucinda Blackley-Jimson, chief executive of the Nelson Provincial Museum – the “epicentre” of homeless issues in the city.

She described incidents of smoking, taking drugs, public urination, and threatening behaviour impacting the safety and well-being of museum staff and visitors.

“While we have absolute sympathy for everybody in this situation, it’s not a good outcome for either them or the museum to have them living on the streets.”

Tracey Brignole from clothing retailer Mariposa, added that she had rostered more staff during the normally-quieter winter period because employees were feeling “a little bit unsafe”.

Duffy said that a “sustainable solution” had to be found across agencies and organisations.

“These people are part of our community. It’s not about moving them on, it’s about moving them up and helping these people. But it is starting to impact the city.”

At the time, Mayor Nick Smith said the reports were “totally unacceptable” and announced that the council had signed a new contract with the Male Room – a local support organisation for the homeless and male survivors of sexual violence – to initially connect homeless people with agency support and support them into housing.

But Jackie Galland, who runs Giving Aroha – a local charity which feeds and shelters the homeless – questioned the Male Room’s ability to deliver and said the city needed a night shelter.

She worked with more than 30 “streeties”, or homeless people, and while most were “the loveliest people you’ve ever met”, she said a few were “troublemakers”.

However, she added that their needs were complex as some had convictions which limited the support to which they had access.

“They matter too, but like I say, no one wants to deal with them… You can’t put them in local motels and things like that with families, so what are you meant to do with these people?”

She said a well-managed homeless shelter for all the city’s homeless people, including those who might be moved there by police after causing trouble elsewhere, was the solution, pointing to the success of the pop-up shelter at Unite Church which ran for several weeks following the August 2022 storm.

“That’s what a shelter should be for – people like those ones that that have no other option, that are a bother… There’s no excuse for them to be hanging around like that.”

A shelter would also be a permanent place to escape severe weather, such as the recent widespread flooding in Tasman, Galland added.

“What’s it going to take? One of those streeties to be washed down the river for someone to actually pay attention? Because it’s going to happen.”

The Male Room could not comment on its contract with Nelson City Council, but the council defended the contract, which it awarded after going through its normal procurement process and cost $20,000 per annum.

Group manager community services Andrew White said that a night shelter has “some merit” but there wasn’t a “one-size-fits-all solution”.

“We’re beefing up the support offered to people in crisis, and our community partnerships team is working with the Male Room and a range of organisations to help people access available support,” he said.

The Male Room contract was being implemented alongside enhanced enforcement of the council’s recently-updated urban environments bylaw to create a “two-pronged approach”, White added.

The bylaw bans begging and prohibits people from using public spaces in the city at night in a way that disrupts its regular use for more than two continuous hours, unless permitted by council.

The bylaw also notes that the council’s first response to homeless people will be engaging with social services to try and find alternative accommodation solutions.

“Our staff met with police last week to look at how we can work together to make sure our streets are safe for our community and visitors to Nelson,” White said.

“We won’t tolerate rough sleeping or begging in our city centre, and council and police will support each other in tackling the issue.”

The council has also made a commitment to install CCTV cameras in strategic areas, he added.

Acting inspector Mark Kirkwood, relieving area commander for the Nelson Bays, said police were supporting Nelson City Council and social agencies to address issues relating to homelessness.

While rough sleeping, begging, and being homeless weren't crimes, he said police were sometimes called to deal with related issues involving public disorder or anti-social behaviour.

“Police are committed to having an increased visible presence in the city and the public should notice more police staff conducting foot patrols and ensuring that members of our community feel safe while they are out and about.”

Enforcement action is being taken when required, with two people arrested separately last week for anti-social behaviour with charges that included drugs, threatening behaviour, assault, intentional damage, and possessing an offensive weapon, Kirkwood said.

Anyone who sees illegal activity should call 111 immediately, or 105 if it's after the fact.

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