There's nowhere to go: counting the costs of extreme weather to the homeless community

Abstract

People experiencing homelessness are vulnerable to extreme weather in unique ways. The entrenched inequalities that underpin disaster vulnerability are compounded by extreme isolation and the stress of transient living on mental and physical health. However, the impacts of extreme weather on the homeless in Australia are largely undocumented and rarely incorporated in emergency planning. Interviews with and surveys of emergency and homeless services and service users revealed that the primary ramifications of losing shelter and worsening mental health deepen the cycle of homelessness and trauma. Consequently, homeless shelter losses, such as tents, should be included in pre- and post-event impact statistics and subsequent recovery support. Extreme weather response plans should include early triggers and strategies for 'non-severe' weather events, as the homeless community is affected earlier and by a wider range of meteorological conditions. Moreover, this study also explores the benefits of a trauma-informed response to extreme weather when working with the homeless.

Keywords: homelessness; mental health; recovery; trauma.