Responding to pleas from Dunedin councillors in a housing committee meeting yesterday, the mayor said discussions he had held about the crisis had "triggered me into a solution".
He was discussing it at a "high level" with people who had the power to make it to happen.
More meetings were scheduled to hopefully "bring it to fruition".
The mayor said he would not explain his plan further at this stage but stressed it was a "genuine action plan with a destination and a result absolutely in mind and I hope to start talking about it in a matter of weeks".
The mayor’s comments were made to the community services committee after a report on housing and homelessness was presented by principal housing policy adviser Gill Brown.
Ms Brown is leading multi-agency efforts to achieve functional zero homelessness for Dunedin, which means low numbers of homeless people, more exiting homelessness than entering it.
Homelessness includes people couch surfing and in boarding houses as well as sleeping rough.
However, Ms Brown in the meeting said she expected homelessness to grow further.
She cited, as a contributory factor, a decision by the government earlier this month to allow landlords to end tenancy agreements with 90 days’ notice without cause.
Ms Brown’s report said city agencies were working together to address "those in the city experiencing poor living conditions".
In response to a query from the Otago Daily Times, Ms Brown confirmed this meant the agencies were working together to tackle boarding house standards, which were the focus of an ODT investigation last year.
The system — called the Outcome Star — will help the city understand where homeless people are living as well as their health, safety and wellbeing.
"The data will allow us to hear from homeless people themselves about specific areas of concern. Once we identify priority areas to focus on, we can work together as a city to address them," Ms Brown said.
A process of identifying land for more housing had also been completed by the council.
Options for next steps in improving affordable housing, both rental and to buy, would be presented to council later this year.
In the council meeting, and before the mayor’s announcement, Cr Mandy Mayhem had called on the mayor to lead the city out of the crisis with urgency, particularly as winter was coming.
"We need to do everything in our power to push every button and pull every lever to get the best possible outcome for our most vulnerable citizens."
Cr Bill Acklin called for council-led action.
"I appreciate there is a cost to council to help people in this situation.
"Our budgets are stretched but we can’t turn a blind eye."
He called for a report about housing options and costs.
Cr Jim O’Malley said he had seen the extent of homeless people in tents at the Kensington Oval.
"This issue is now so bad and so in our face that we have to actively look away from it not to see it. We need to face into it."
He called for a community housing provider to be established.
Speaking to the ODT after the meeting, Cr O’Malley expressed scepticism about the mayor’s announcement, saying he was waiting with bated breath to hear what the mayor had in mind.
"It is unusual to say he is doing something but not tell us what it is.
"He may come back with something amazing but currently I’m not paying it any heed."
