Homelessness as a public health emergency: Learnings from crisis

COVID-19 sharpened the reality that homelessness is not only a housing issue but a serious public health risk. People sleeping rough or cycling through unstable accommodation had little capacity to isolate, distance or access basic hygiene, placing them at heightened risk during the pandemic. Drawing on case studies from New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania between January 2020 and October 2021, this AHURI report documents how health and homelessness services rapidly reworked the rules of engagement to protect people experiencing homelessness. It tracks the emergence of new partnerships, the expansion of outreach health care and the flexible policy settings that allowed services to move quickly, share resources and solve problems together. The research also surfaces the fragility of these arrangements. Support was uneven across locations, data sharing remained difficult and the needs of groups such as unaccompanied children were often overlooked. The authors argue that the gains made during COVID should not be treated as a one-off emergency response. Instead, they call for homelessness to be recognised as an ongoing public health emergency, backed by sustained funding, clearer interagency governance and a stronger role for health services in prevention. Community work professionals can use this evidence to advocate for integrated housing, health and social support systems that continue long after crisis passes.