Adolescent and young adult homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic: Reflections and opportunities for multi-sectoral responses

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified national attention to homelessness over the course of 2020 because of concern about the spread of the novel coronavirus amongst homeless persons. It has also produced compelling reasons to look more closely at the long-neglected area of homelessness policy, and created opportunities to reverse years of inattention. Homelessness disproportionately affects adolescents and young adults, with rates rising before the pandemic. Recent homelessness funding increases and housing policy responses have also addressed health and social needs, and are continuing for the time being, however the risk of the virus is likely to remain for some time. Although Victoria has now successfully suppressed a second wave of infection in the community, the risk of a third wave is ever-present. As temporary homelessness funding and housing policy responses are scaled back, we may see a delayed ‘wave’ of adolescent and young adult homelessness, compounded by the multiple economic and social impacts of the pandemic, and associated state-wide lockdown. Preventing this ‘wave’ requires immediate evidence-based multi-sectoral action.