How Kotter can help to end tent cities

Tent cities are part of the increase in homelessness in Australia and beyond. While tent cities offer a sense of community, they also pose health risks. Thus, they require solutions that balance community needs and tent city residents' needs. This article describes the success of an interagency response to two tent cities. Data were collected from 18 professionals, using the e-Delphi technique, and analysed thematically. The findings point to the explanatory value of Kotter's eight steps to lead change. These steps clarified how the projects supported tent city residents into housing and returned the sites to the community. This suggests Kotter's steps represent a useful framework to guide interagency responses to address tent cities that are both time-limited and successful.