The Christchurch City Council has taken several urgent steps to address residents' concerns that prostitutes are working outside and sometimes on their properties.
Following the February earthquake, when much of the city was cordoned off, sex workers began operating in more residential areas.
Seven residents presented their case to the Christchurch City Council at its meeting on Thursday morning.
They described feeling unsafe, with pimps patrolling outside their homes and finding used needles and condoms in their gardens.
The council has agreed to support a prostitution bill that the now defunct Manukau City Council proposed which would regulate prostitution in some areas.
The council is also to meet with police and the Prostitues Collective to seek practical ways to move the prostitutes on from residential areas.
