A Rotorua-based initiative aiming to provide secure overnight shelter for the city’s homeless is facing hurdles due to regulatory requirements, according to the charitable group behind the effort.
Love Soup, a local organisation focused on community welfare, has established a discreet sleeping pod site—dubbed the “Village of Hope”—to offer rough sleepers a safer alternative to the city’s shopfronts and public spaces. However, the group says Rotorua Lakes Council is stalling progress by insisting they first obtain proper consents.
Julie King, a representative for Love Soup, told Checkpoint the project was launched in response to growing homelessness and unsafe conditions, particularly during Rotorua’s cold and wet weather.
“We’ve had people end up in hospital with pneumonia. They’re not getting decent sleep, and that has serious health consequences,” King said.
The pods, which are locally built, feature insulation and secure locks, providing privacy and protection for the occupants. Currently, five individuals are housed in the pods, though their identities are being kept confidential for their safety.
King explained the location was deliberately kept secret to safeguard residents and avoid public interference, but said that efforts to work with the council had been challenging.
“We met with the council on Monday, and instead of offering support, they were more focused on whether we had paid for consents,” she said. “It feels like they’re more interested in bureaucracy than actually helping solve the problem.”
She added that while the city has taken action to move homeless people from the central business district—including recent trespasses from makeshift camps—there appeared to be no adequate plan for where they should go.
“You can’t just keep moving people around without providing real solutions,” she said. “This is almost like making it illegal to camp.”
King also raised concerns about the vulnerabilities of people sleeping rough, stating the pods protect occupants from predatory behaviour such as drug-related exploitation. “They’re safer in the pods, away from dealers and situations that prevent them from getting proper food and rest,” she said.
In response, a Rotorua Lakes Council spokesperson said they have a duty to uphold public safety and ensure all accommodation facilities meet legal standards. They confirmed a meeting was requested with Love Soup once they became aware of the initiative.
“To date, no formal consent application or request for regulatory guidance has been submitted by the group,” the spokesperson said. “Without knowing the scope, location, or structure of the project, we can’t provide the necessary advice.”
The council maintains that any form of accommodation, even if temporary, must go through the correct approval channels. Officials say they remain open to working with Love Soup to navigate the consent process and bring the project into compliance.
Despite the regulatory concerns, King said the group remains focused on immediate needs, emphasizing that no fees are being charged for the shelter and their priority is to help vulnerable individuals off the streets.
“If the priority is chasing us for consent fees rather than supporting people who are sleeping rough, then we have a problem,” she said.
While the pods offer short-term refuge, King acknowledged that more sustainable housing options are urgently needed. She called for stronger collaboration between the council and grassroots groups to develop lasting solutions.
“There’s too much division. We need more teamwork between all parties involved in addressing homelessness,” she said.
