Hotel Rooms Protect Rough Sleepers From Coronavirus

People experiencing homelessness will be moved into a hotel as a response to Covid-19, forming a new service program that could be scaled up to support vulnerable people if successful.

As rough sleepers are unable to self-isolate, and many suffering chronic health issues, the pilot program will see 20 people experiencing homelessness move into Perth's Pan Pacific hotel.

The "Hotels with Heart" pilot is a collaboration across the private, community service and government sectors, aiming to keep homeless people safe and out of hospital during the pandemic.

“Due to their circumstances, people experiencing homelessness are often unable to take social distancing measures and self-isolate,” Community Services minister Simone McGurk said.

“It will focus on rapidly housing rough sleepers who are most at risk, to keep them safe and out of hospital.”

The initiative aims to deliver both health outcomes for the community and economic stimulus to the hotel sector.

Related: Prime Minister Orders Hotel Quarantine for Arrivals

The pilot was developed by a taskforce made up of both the government and non-government sector, and will be delivered in partnership with community service organisations.

“The Hotels with Heart pilot learns from similar initiatives happening interstate and around the world, including in the United Kingdom, America and Canada,” McGurk said.

“With the help of community service organisations, this initiative will take the pressure off the health system in Western Australia and potentially help to flatten the curve as the State fights to stop the spread of Covid-19.”

Recent figures from STR reveal that eight out of 10 hotel rooms are empty due to measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus.

McGurk said the pilot also aims to sustain the state's hotel sector for when the Covid‑19 threat is eliminated.

'I will survive'

In Adelaide, a Kindness Kombi named Benji is driving the South Australian streets with the goal to spread kindness as locals manage Covid-19 restriction and isolation measures.

The couple behind the not-for-profit van, Lea and Keith, started it in 2019, with the belief in inclusion and diversity, using the kombi as a vehicle to spread unity in the community.

“We want to share life experiences, music, laughter, art, and create a safe space for all,” the couple said.

“Tonight we put the speaker on the roof of the Kombi, put on the party tunes and watched the world dance,” the couple said as it drove the local streets playing music.

Playlist songs included, 'Don't Stand So Close to Me' by The Police and 'Staying Alive' by the Bee Gees.