Beggars and businesses at odds
Christchurch Collective for the Homeless administrator Lynette, who did not want her last name used, said there was “never enough support,” for people on the streets.
She had seen more and more people under the “break-even” point, and not receiving enough money to live.
Even though people begging may have homes, those homes were often inadequate, she said.
“A lot of the time they are damp and cold, and they don’t meet the regulations. They’ve got a house, but it’s not suitable for living.”
She said a lot of the aggressive begging was down to other issues such as mental health.
“They’re unsupported in the institutions. A lot of them are unwell.”
Councillor for the Central ward, Jake McLellan, has been working on a solution to the problem for weeks. He said he did not think banning begging was the answer, and believed there were people who genuinely needed help.
“I don’t think it matters if they are homeless or not – people who need beg, regardless of whether they have a home,” he said.
One option was a potential alcohol ban for the area.
We Are Richmond chairman David Duffy said the group was meeting with the council on June 13 to discuss the matter.
An alcohol ban was implemented in Woolston in September 2023, after the community experienced aggressive begging and antisocial behaviour.
Five months after the ban was enacted, community board chairperson Paul McMahon said there had been a “dramatic reduction” in street drinking and rubbish in Woolston Village.
But for Lynette, the deeper causes have to be addressed. She said community support had been great, but support from crown agencies had not been sufficient.
The most vulnerable people had been affected by the cost of living, and they needed help, she said.
“They are just people at the end of the day who are struggling. They’re in survival mode.”
Christchurch City Mission advises anyone approached by people begging to not engage, and not to give money. Anyone who experiences aggressive behaviour should report it to police.