Coronavirus: homeless hotel turns to hell for blue chip suburb

East Melbourne reeling from violence, screaming, theft, drug use and unruly drunks with DHHS accused of abandoning homeless in coronavirus hotel.

The City Edge apartment complex in Gipps St, East Melbourne.

A coronavirus culture clash has erupted in one of Australia’s wealthiest and smallest suburbs after Victoria’s health department dumped drug- and alcohol-dependent homeless people in a hotel without giving them adequate medical support.

More than a dozen rough sleepers were moved to the East Melbourne hotel by the Department of Health and Human Services several months ago as part of the government’s emergency virus accommodation program.

East Melbourne locals say the homeless have been left in the City Edge complex in Gipps Street without enough support, and the community is now dealing with outbreaks of violence and unruly behaviour.

Homeless person wearing a mask begs for spare change. Picture: Jason Edwards

The East Melbourne Group has written to the Melbourne City Council pleading for help. “The situation is still deteriorating and mandatory mask rules are being ignored,” the group states in the letter. “Stress, tempers, violence, drug, and alcohol issues; and the resultant damages are escalating.

“The police have little ammunition. Homeless folk do not care about fines — the main tool police have.”

According to incidents logged by the suburb’s main community group, street crime has increased, including thefts from porches and gardens, while letterboxes and cars are being broken into.

The group said there were “aggressive responses when requests for money are refused” and “drug dealing and shooting up in public and in apartment bin areas”.

“Parents (are) concerned about the safety of their teenagers going to the shops alone,” the group’s summary states.

About 4000 people live in East Melbourne, an enclave of mostly grand century-old homes bordered by the MCG and Treasury Gardens, where the streets are boulevards and the residents earn twice the national average. Business leaders, politicians, lawyers and judges are among the locals.

Melbourne City councillor Beverley Pinder, chair of the council’s People City portfolio, slammed the DHHS’s handling of the complex problem.

“The co-ordination is not up to scratch here. DHHS needs to ­ensure individual case management, alcohol and drug addiction support, mental health wrap­around services and these need to be in place after hours,” she said.

Police and medical staff outside Hambleton House, a boarding house for homeless people in Melbourne’s Albert Park. Picture: Tony Gough

“People’s vulnerability doesn’t magically resolve during a nine-to-five work day; it’s there all the time and often it is at night when difficulties arise most. We can’t fail our most vulnerable and we can’t lose the vital community support in the process.

“Our seniors and kids in East Melbourne are filled with fear to walk out their front door.”

The DHHS said $175m had been invested in crisis accommodation and support services.

“We are aware of the concerns raised by local residents and are working through these via the East Melbourne Group,” a DHHS spokeswoman said.

Over the weekend, security guards could be seen patrolling outside the City Edge complex.

The locals have sympathy for the plight of the homeless, who they believe have been abandoned by the DHHS. “We are still concerned about the lack of a co-ordinated plan to manage the situation that is emerging,” the letter to the council states.

“The first lockdown EM residents managed well with our new neighbours. With the second lockdown … we are experiencing significant issues.”

In its letter earlier this month to the council, the East Melbourne Group said the DHHS had failed to address their concerns. “We are unable to reach anyone who can inform us of the management plan,” it states.