COVID-19: Homelessness help with Hart

Published:: 23 July 2020 10:39AM

Kelly, Manager of Community Services at Communify, sits in her office

Brisbane-based community organisation Communify’s Hart 4000 program helps people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness to find a housing solution.

Kelly is the Manager of Community Services at Communify and oversees the Hart 4000 program. She said that, despite temporarily closing their Fortitude Valley homelessness hub during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are busier than before.

“We’re helping more people, not only rough sleepers but people who were couch surfing. We’re also helping people with no income,” Kelly said.

Couch surfers have had to find alternative accommodation during COVID-19 because they can’t observe physical distancing rules in overcrowded housing.

“We’re putting people in temporary accommodation and providing 24/7 support to keep them there until there’s a permanent housing outcome.

“We also provide emergency relief so we’re able to give food support right away.”

Communify supports the Queensland Government plan to ensure Queenslanders have safe, secure accommodation. They organise temporary accommodation for clients and then conduct an assessment that determines the client’s longer-term housing and support needs.

Kelly says that families are also doing it tough. She helped a family who were sleeping rough. The husband had lost his job because of COVID-19 and the wife was due to give birth in a couple of weeks.

“We took them up as a case management client and used our existing relationships with the department.

“We’ve helped them to set up home with proper appliances and beds. It’s exciting because 4-bedroom allocations don’t come available very often.

“To see this family, move from crisis accommodation to a housing option where the children can settle down has been amazing”.

Find out more about our response to housing vulnerable people during COVID-19.