Treating streeties as “humans” and taking a more positive approach to their use of Garden Place has been suggested by community organisation advocates at a city council committee meeting.

But several councillors responded by speaking out strongly against streeties’ bad behaviour in Garden Place and the CBD, and one pushed back at suggestions the wider community bore some responsibility for problems.

During a public forum at the meeting on Thursday, trustees from Frankton-based The Serve Trust - which provides meals to streeties and others - said they worked with many kāinga kore (homeless) and streeties, some of whom were housed.