The Tauranga District Council is discussing whether it should revoke a ban introduced earlier this year to stop people from begging in front of stores in Tauranga,
But some are happy with that, with one community association representative saying locals are being intimidated by people asking for money.
Greerton Village Community Association manager Sally Benning told Seven Sharp the bylaw has "worked really, really well since it came into force" and businesses would be "devastated" if the law is scrapped.
She recounted a number of concerning incidents, including large, "quite intimidating" groups of people sitting outside retail outlets as they actively ask passers-by for money.
"We witnessed people outside a pharmacy, waiting for people to come out of the pharmacy with their prescriptions and approaching them to try and obtain the drugs they just picked up. People at our ATM machines, standing over people or just generally being intimidating to the general public."
Since the ban was enforced, Tauranga "virtually have nobody on the streets begging anymore," she said.
"So, for us, the people who were here were not necessarily genuinely homeless or vulnerable, but rather, groups of scammers who are coming in and simply taking advantage of other people who are ill afford to give them money but felt threatened."
Ms Benning said the best-case scenario would be to "retain the bylaw as it is".
"We're not saying these people shouldn't be anywhere – there are a number of agencies who help them, anyway – but what we are saying is that they shouldn’t be interfering with the retailers who are just trying to do an honest day’s work."
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