Coronavirus: Lockdown apartments provided for homeless in Auckland, regions

Wednesday, 1 April 2020

Auckland became a ghost town during the level 4 lockdown, with deserted streets, motorways and beaches. (Video first published in March 2020)

Some homeless Kiwis have swapped the street for a serviced apartment during the coronavirus lockdown.

One apartment chain says vulnerable people in need of emergency housing now living in their rooms are causing no issues whatsoever.

Before the Covid-19 era, much the business of Quest serviced apartments came from corporate domestic travellers, but that has all changed.

Rough sleepers have been housed in Quest serviced apartments (file photo).

Adrian Turner, group general manager of Quest NZ, said most bookings on Tuesday came from government departments including the Ministry of Social Development and Oranga Tamariki.

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A staff member at Quest in central Auckland gives a briefing to a man, plus some associates, before he checks into an apartment.

* Coronavirus: How the lockdown will affect vulnerable people**

Among the guests now staying in some of their self-contained rooms are those in need of emergency housing, including people who had been sleeping rough, Turner said.

'It's coming from all different walks of life, but the beauty of it is they can support themselves in the room once they're there, because they've got the full cooking facilities.

'We're just treating them like any other guest,'

A small number of people who needed emergency housing, [including some homeless Kiwis](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/120617428/how-do-the-homeless-handle-the-covid19-lockdown), were put up in Quest apartments in Auckland and in the regions.

They were causing no issues, Turner said.

'They came in and they're fine. We're not having any problems at all.'

Other guests at Quest included people who were self-isolating after arriving from overseas.

Quest staff, who had been given personal protective equipment, were shopping for them if required and dropping the goods outside their door.

Ministry of Social Development housing general manager Karen Hocking said Quest was just one of the providers to open their doors to the ministry's clients and others affected by the lockdown.

The ministry was working with a range of accommodation providers and agencies to ensure everyone in New Zealand had a safe place to self-isolate while alert level four remained in place, she said.

Staff followed cost guidelines when securing accommodation for clients and had discretion to pay more in exceptional circumstances, Hocking said.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Development deputy chief executive Jo Hogg said the ministry was leading a cross agency response to urgently secure housing for New Zealanders living in 'vulnerable accommodation' and those who are homeless.

Rough sleepers and people in night shelters or boarding houses were particularly at risk and the ministry and housing providers were prioritising these groups, Hogg said.

'So far over 600 places up and down NZ have been secured and we continue to look for more places.'

In Wellington, the Ministry of Social Development has leased a building in Manners St, with room for 42 people, for clients from the capital's night shelter.

Meanwhile in Christchurch, homes have been found for the majority of the city's homeless.

Christchurch City Missioner Matthew Mark said rental landlords and owners of empty Airbnb homes had been 'extremely helpful' in helping with housing for the homeless.