Local Focus: Covid 19 coronavirus - Lockdown giving homeless people a chance to change

Having a roof over his head is a new concept for Anaru Kora.

"It's time to adapt to the realisation I'm in a house," he said.

"Out in the streets I've got freedom, but being over here I've got time to actually sit down and think where I want to be."

Kora is one of many rough sleepers in Rotorua, who've been provided shelter during the lockdown. And while he constantly thinks about his family still living on the street, Anaru now has the freedom to build important life skills.

"Where am I going to go after this? How am I going to get a house? It's just basic stuff," he said.

"I'm like a little child in an adult's body. I've had to take baby steps, sometimes it's too fast and I get frightened off it."

Everyone has their own issues, their own path. Once everyone sees me get a house and succeed, maybe they'll follow in my shoes - Anaru Kora. Photo / Nathan Morton

About 100 homeless people have been given emergency shelter in motels and other emergency accommodation in Rotorua.

"Housing and supply will probably pick up due to the economic downturn for the B&Bs, so there should be more supply available in the community to place people in, with good wrap-around supports," Lifewise Rotorua manager Haehaetu Barrett said.

"The demand is going to be quite high, so we need to have a structured workforce, a skilled workforce to meet the demand.

"It's going to be quite challenging to coordinate at a high level, but at operational level it just demonstrates the need to work closely together."

And while living in lockdown is a challenge in itself, it's an even bigger struggle for those battling addiction.

"We've been able to negotiate emergency addiction support with the addiction providers," Barrett said.

"There's limited providers open in terms of coming in and staying with people, so we've had to do a lot of counselling over the phones. We've been able to support withdrawal management by having a safe environment, first and foremost, but also monitoring the withdrawals."

Kora can vouch for the difficulty breaking an addiction in lockdown.

"I'm going through it now," he said. "Sometimes it gets full on, the only [thing] I can turn to is drugs and alcohol. Just to block all those negative vibes. New things are frightening to me."

Local charity Love Soup has adapted to lockdown, distributing food to the hungry while keeping distance. And, with many families struggling to make ends meet, its service has never been more important.

"We know that the homeless have been put in lockdown, we know they're being catered to. So post-lockdown will all depend on whether or not they will leave their accommodation to go to dinner," Rotorua Love Soup organiser Elmer Peiffer said.

Love Soup coordinates food drop-offs and a designated pick-up point, for families to collect leftover food from supermarkets and eateries. And safety always comes first.

"We get their details for contact tracing, place it in their vehicles for them, so those that arrive in vehicles stay in their vehicles. Those that arrive on foot maintain their two-metre distance."

"They've all been compliant, we haven't had any issues where people have abused that, so it's been a really good, successful strategy thus far."

Peiffer says Love Soup has noticed many new people utilising its services, but an overall a decline in numbers.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

While lockdown is certainly difficult for everyone, there's a belief among providers that the wider benefits of community initiatives may extend well beyond lockdown. Meanwhile, those people receiving the services are taking it day by day.

"I want to be out there with my family, but because I'm over here and isolated by them, it's given me a chance to work on me," Kora said.

"Everyone has their own issues, their own path. Once everyone sees me get a house and succeed, maybe they'll follow in my shoes."

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