COVID-19 and the Homelessness Support Sector

This exploratory study sought to uncover service provider perspectives on the early response to COVID-19 in a small community in an advanced industrialized country - the homelessness support sector of the Central Okanagan, British Columbia. Following a case study approach, snowball sampling was utilized in May and June 2020 to achieve a sample size of 30 through a mix of one-on-one interviews and open-ended surveys. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to uncover commonalities among interview responses. Common themes are discussed in relation to three areas of questioning including challenges, successes, and mitigations/areas for future support. While the community came together to support the response, there were challenges and concerns regarding safety and personal protective equipment supplies, social distancing and knowledge transmission within the homeless community, access to food and water, and lack of space for isolating positive cases. The findings illustrate possible research, practice, public health policy, and emergency planning considerations within smaller communities.