People across New Zealand are preparing to retreat to their homes during a national lockdown beginning tonight, but those who are homeless will not have the same luxury.
While the Salvation Army Dunedin will continue some of its support services, Dunedin’s night shelter, which offered free emergency accommodation, will close today.
Night Shelter Trust chairman Rob Thomson said it had relied on older staff and volunteers who could no longer work.
It had been a “really hard decision”, but the trust believed it had been left with no alternative option.
About four people were in the shelter on Monday night and all had been provided with accommodation for the lockdown period.
The building, on Lees St, had been offered to Otago Dunedin Civil Defence and Emergency Management to use for any purpose it needed.
Mr Thomson said people should contact the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) for emergency housing assistance.
The MSD Housing general manager Karen Hocking said with the move to Alert Level 4, the MSD had closed its service centres for face-to-face appointments, but would continue to help those in need of emergency accommodation.
“We know that more people will be relying on us all in the weeks ahead.
“We are part of a government-wide response to Covid-19 and are working closely, and as quickly as we can, with other agencies to help those who are homeless or sleeping rough.”
She said it would work with the Ministry of Business and Employment, through its Temporary Accommodation Service, which had been “working to identify suitable self-isolation options.”.
A Ministry of Housing and Urban Development spokesperson said it would work alongside Kainga Ora, community housing and housing first providers to increase housing supply “at a pace” and ensure “vulnerable people have suitable accommodation during this difficult time”.
The Salvation Army Dunedin would also be a point of contact for those needing food and shelter support, as it had been declared an essential service yesterday.
Salvation Army Dunedin community ministries manager David McKenzie said food bank, transitional housing and psychosocial support services would be provided to the community during the lockdown.
“Much of this may be in a different form, but none the less, we will be doing what we can.”
