Napier businesses and locals are becoming increasingly worried about being safe in the city.
Police around the palm trees of Clive Square, just around the corner from the city's homeless outreach centre. Photo: RNZ / Tom Kitchin
Central Napier may be picturesque - lined with art deco buildings and palm trees. But people in the city say the levels of insecurity are reaching an alarming level.
Homeless man Jeff often hangs around Clive Square, a central recreational spot in the city.
He explained why he spent time there.
"Well, the outreach centre's been open over there for the last 10 years and we've been patronising that place, and it's in this vicinity so we sort of stuck around in this vicinity 'cause we don't want to travel too far. Too cold up the f***ing beach and all the rest of it'."
One CBD business owner, who RNZ agreed not to identify, said there were serious problems with beggars and shoplifters.
"It is such a shame to see our lovely city centre being treated like it is," they said.
"Having been brought up in Napier and bringing up a family here, we cannot believe that these people have been allowed to intimidate and cause such unwelcome behaviour in our city."
The square needed to be safer, they said.
"Clive Square is there for shoppers, CBD workers, families and all to enjoy. Everyone should be able to feel safe going to have lunch, sit in the sun, enjoy the beautiful and well-cared gardens or just have a walk-through.
"How can we with drug users, beggars and just downright unpleasant people taking control of the environment."
A person spotted sleeping on top of the bus stop beside Clive Square in central Napier. Photo: Supplied
Other businesses in the CBD said aggression in the area was creating stress.
One business said it felt like a busload of newly-homeless people were dropped in the CBD "pretty much every week".
Napier City Business Inc is the voice of businesses within the city centre, and told Napier City Council the feeling of a lack of safety had increased to an "all-time high".
General manager Pip Thompson said the main concerns were the increase of shoplifting, homelessness in the city and begging.
Napier City Business Inc general manager Pip Thompson. Photo: Supplied
Napier MP Stuart Nash told the council in a long-term-plan submission Clive Square had developed a "sad reputation" where drug deals were done and consumed.
His wife was assaulted by a man taking drugs when she was out in broad daylight with the two youngest children, he said.
"Everyone, from the police to the NCC staff are fully aware of the issues and yet little has been done to rectify the problem."
A new community safety survey questioned nearly 600 residents - 44 percent said they felt unsafe, a significant increase from last year's survey when it was 17 percent.
Mayor Kirsten Wise was clear about the reasons behind it.
"Some of the key factors in that obviously is the gang visibility around town and people feeling unsafe when they're out and about at night time".
The council already spent $350,000 a year supporting safety initiatives, she said.
But as part of the new long-term plan, the council had adopted an ambassador program.
"That will essentially mean that we will have a team of people out in our CBD, our other suburban retail areas, wherever they're needed really, who will work with individuals to link them with services if they require assistance," Wise said.
That was strongly supported by local businesses. There were similar programmes already running in Hastings and Hamilton.
Alongside that, the council would spend $500,000 to upgrade its CCTV network.
But the ambassadors would not be on the streets until about this time next year.
Still, Wise said she was talking to police about immediate action.
"Obviously our primary means of dealing with any of these issues, particularly the illegal behaviour, is with the police.
"We're meeting with the police on a regular basis and we identify where there are particular areas that need additional patrolling."
The council was also in talks with the managers of the homeless outreach centre, Whatever it Takes, to see if it could be moved, she said.
Whatever It Takes business and finance manager Phil Ross said they were looking for alternative sites for the centre, but had not found any yet.
In the meantime, he said it had been closed for just over a month, while the team looked at other ways to deliver the service.