A group of homeless whānau in Whangārei are facing eviction from a makeshift campsite they have called home for years, raising urgent questions about where some of the city’s most vulnerable people are expected to go.
Whangārei District Council has ordered people camping at the former Old Boys Rugby and Sports Club grounds near Port Road to leave by Thursday 8 October, citing health, safety and operational concerns.
Around eight or nine people have been living at the site, with some residents saying the camp has provided a safer and more stable environment than sleeping on the streets of the central city.
The council issued notices requiring residents to remove their belongings, arguing that the land can no longer be safely managed or maintained. However, those facing eviction have expressed concern about losing what has effectively become their home.
A community petition has called for the eviction to be halted and for the council to work with local organisations on an alternative. The proposal, known as Project Shelter 2026, seeks to establish a managed emergency shelter that prioritises safety, dignity and practical support for people experiencing homelessness.
The dispute comes against a backdrop of significant homelessness in Te Tai Tokerau. Earlier RNZ reporting identified 237 people living rough in Whangārei, including 75 aged 65 or older, highlighting the growing vulnerability of older people without secure housing.
The situation also raises wider concerns about the availability of emergency accommodation. Government officials have previously acknowledged that immediate shelter cannot be guaranteed for every rough sleeper on any given night, despite efforts to improve coordination between housing and social service agencies.
For Māori housing advocates, the wider debate is about more than moving people from public spaces. Kaupapa Māori housing provider Ki Tua o Matariki has previously warned that enforcement measures without adequate housing, health and social support risk pushing vulnerable whānau further away from the help they need.
With the eviction deadline now here, attention is turning to whether suitable alternative accommodation can be found and how Whangārei can balance public safety concerns with the urgent need to protect people experiencing homelessness.
The immediate outcome for residents was not independently confirmed at publication.
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