More than $100,000 worth of state-of-the-art sleeping pods and mobile crisis equipment are languishing unused in a Launceston paddock - with seemingly every new option collapsing into bureaucratic dead ends.
They have been sitting there for two years with nowhere to go, leaving charity founder Kirsten Ritchie increasingly frustrated and ready to pull the plug for good.
Through community fundraising, Launceston charity Strike It Out built the fully self-sufficient, compliant, solar-battery-powered mobile setup.
Requiring zero connection to the main power grid, the custom trailer features seven sleeping pods, security cameras, and internal medical alarms.
The charity previously made headlines when it attempted to deploy the pods at Inveresk to shield rough sleepers from freezing winter nights.
Without a council permit, however, they were ordered to pack up and leave.
Strike It Out founder Kirsten Ritchie said she had held fresh talks this month with Devonport City Council, hoping the infrastructure might find a home further west, but those possibilities have since fallen flat.
Ms Ritchie has been lobbying the state government to secure the Zions Hill Church site - the former Ravenswood High School location, which is currently on the market for $2.8 million - to establish a holistic, Integrated Homelessness and Social Support Hub.
Under the proposal, which would require government funding, the sprawling site would host the sleeping pods alongside other crisis accommodation, localised detox, rehabilitation, counseling, Legal Aid, and community skill-building classes.
However, this week that proposal also fell flat.
In a letter viewed by the Mercury, Housing Minister Kerry Vincent said he considered the proposal, but that the government was “not currently in a position to pursue the purchase”.
A state government spokesperson told the Mercury the area surrounding Zions Hill already had well-established housing and homelessness support services.
“The Tasmanian Government continues to invest in these services, and is not currently considering purchasing additional land for this purpose,” they said.
“Planning in any given municipal area is a matter for the local council, and we encourage the proponent to continue working with Launceston City Council to reach a conclusion.”
With state support ruled out, Ms Ritchie said any potential solution in Launceston remained firmly up in the air.
She also said that under current regulations, acquiring land as a grassroots operator was an uphill battle.
Buying a site outright required navigating a commercial loan with a steep 40 per cent deposit, facing extensive rezoning legalities, and absorbing heavy infrastructure costs.
“It’s incredibly tricky,” Ms Ritchie said.
“We’ve looked at all the options, saying ‘can we do this? Can we do that?’ No, we can’t. It’s just a never-ending no, no, no.”
Ms Ritchie said the concept remained “in limbo” and trapped in a political “waiting game” - leaving her to wonder whether or not she should pull the pin altogether.
“There just doesn’t seem to be any urgency on the matter,” she said.
“We’ve still got this element of the community that’s in desperate need, and it’s only growing. What is this going to look like in another two to five years? You can’t tell me it’s not going to be worse.”
She said the refusal to cut through the red tape made no sense while the Tasmanian winter continued to bite hard and the number of unhoused locals continued to climb.
“We’ve got seven warm beds sitting right there... and we aren’t allowed to use them.”
Launceston City Council said it was “actively working” with Strike it Out, with discussions planned for the near future.
“The proponent does not currently have an active permit application as a suitable site for the pods has not been identified,” a spokesman said.
The spokesman also said a “number of factors” needed to be considered regarding the sleeping pods, including safety and security for users, availability of personnel with appropriate qualifications, and permits for overnight accommodation.
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