It is out of control in some areas, some people say.

"I've been here 27 years and the last two years have been shocking - we've got homelessness, we've got people harassing people for money, it's just unbelievable," a suburban gift shop owner says.

These beggars can be "pretty scary for elderly people and they go up to people in their cars and everything, it's just not on."

Beggars even come into her shop and approach customers. Stronger enforcement is long overdue.

"There's no authority, that's the trouble. These people are not answerable to the likes of us when we tell them to move on."

Begging a human right?

Christchurch City Council considered anti-begging bylaws some years ago but gave up plans in 2015. It would be too hard to enforce, it decided.

However, the rise in aggressive begging has seen the Council again considering the options.

The Council notes that in 2017 three beggars in Napier were charged with breaching the bylaw on begging.

Pleading not guilty, they said the Council breached the Bill of Rights Act. Police dropped the charges.

The Council will also be noting how effective Auckland and Wellington city council bylaws will be in prohibiting anti-social behaviour associated with aggressive begging.

Christchurch Central ward councillor Jake McLellan is leading the research into begging.

He says he understands police want a bylaw to make it easier to deal with aggressive begging.

Council staff will consider if one is needed and present their findings to Council, McLellan says.

He says the bylaw isn't about punishing people who safely solicit support from members of the public.

"What we're concerned about is people being threatened and intimidated, being stood over at ATMs.

"That's the type of behaviour that really borders on the legal limits of what you are and aren't allowed to do.

"So we're happy to look at tools that give the police additional powers to look into that" he says.

"I'll support a bylaw if the evidence backs it up. I want to be really clear about that."

McLellan says he's "almost certain" more resourcing for the City Mission and similar agencies is needed.

Aggressive begging isn't everyone's way

People begging say they need help.

Christchurch's City Missioner says genuinely homeless people aren't usually aggressive.

The Mission has two outreach workers who go onto the streets each morning to support homeless people.

Any bylaw about aggressive begging must not stop the Mission from helping those people who are genuinely sleeping rough, she says.

Housing First Otautahi says a bylaw won't work.

It says punitive measures won't address the deeper issues.

"The Council seems to think ‘we want to get these people off the streets, they're a nuisance ..." Housing First says.

"What do they call aggressive? Are the the aggressive people really unwell? Who's going to make that decision?"

Source

• RNZ
• The Press

This is a critical time to act and deliver on a significant opportunity for our city.

We now have purpose-built facilities and services that we hope can collectively meet the needs of those who require support. People should not have to sleep on our streets or put their hand out for money.

We know that visitors do not expect to see so many people sleeping/begging on our streets when they come here. And we know that people care about the welfare of those in need.

If everyone who needs it gets the support they require, this will be a great example for our city to set and something to be proud of.

After significant public and private investment that we have both supported, we are hopeful that there is sufficient capacity currently to achieve this aspiration.

Not sometime in the distant future but now, before the situation gets worse and it is harder to turn around.

A number of purpose-built facilities have opened in the city centre in recent years, which offer housing and specialised wrap-around services.

The James Liston hostel for emergency housing was refurbished and reopened in 2019. Auckland City Mission's HomeGround opened in 2022, a shining example of housing and holistic healing facilities.

Then, just a few weeks ago, the Te Matawai facility opened at Grey's Avenue, which includes housing for rough sleepers and 24/7 on-site support.

These facilities offer a tremendous opportunity for thoughtful placement and care that has not previously been available.

Additionally, Heart of the City's Street Guardians programme, which started five years ago in partnership with Auckland City Mission, offers a positive alternative to begging that currently operates two days per week.

Now there are quality facilities like these up and running, we want to see an urgent and co-ordinated drive to ensure that everyone on our streets who needs help gets it quickly.

With social needs met by professionals, there also needs to be focused attention on addressing the bad behaviour that people do not expect to see on our streets either.

This has noticeably risen through Covid, and it needs to be addressed before it becomes entrenched.

It is another basic thing we must get right as a city, and it is particularly important to act quickly to attract more people to live, work and study here after the ravaging impact of Covid on the city centre.

We are calling on the Auckland Council to make urgent changes to its public nuisance by-laws and compliance mechanisms, so there are clearer standards of what is and what is not acceptable on city streets and how this can be effectively enforced.

While there is a growing community safety response, there also needs to be a much stronger police presence in the city centre to better reflect the number of people here.

A police station has been sorely missed, and we want it returned. This will send a clear signal that crime and violence will not be tolerated.

People want streets they feel comfortable and safe in, and by acting quickly, we can and must achieve this for everyone.

• Viv Beck is Chief Executive, Heart of the City - the business association for the city centre.
• Adam Parkinson is a spokesman for the City Centre Residents Group, which represents residents living in the city centre.
• First published in the NZ Herald. Republished with the authors' permission.

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