Media Release
City Vision-Labour Councillors - Auckland City Council
For Immediate Release
Tuesday 4 March 2008

City Council Funding For Homeless Under Threat

If there was any project in the last term of Auckland City Council that had buy-in from every councillor regardless of politics, it was the Homeless Action Plan. It is now under threat and the helping agencies involved haven't even been informed, say City Vision-Labour councillors.

"A small amount of funding has reaped enormous rewards in bringing agencies together to focus on a coordinated approach to homelessness in Auckland. This has helped improve the lives of the city's homeless in many ways," says Councillor Cathy Casey.

Last year, the Council provided $25,000 to help fund the after-hours mobile outreach service which puts homeless people in touch with healthcare, counselling, and accommodation services as well as drug and alcohol advice. The service was developed by the Auckland City Council, Auckland City Mission, the Methodist Mission Northern and the Salvation Army.

Councillor Casey says working with helping agencies over the last three years has brought about a new relationship with Council based on trust and open dialogue.

"By failing to signal to the helping agencies that the homeless action plan is under threat, the new council is endangering the three years of goodwill that has been built up. If Auckland wants to present itself as a 'world class city' then withdrawing support to those helping with the problem of homelessness is not the way to go."

ENDS

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