Operating at COVID-19 Alert Level 2: Guidance for housing and housing support service providers - Ministry of Housing and ...
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Operating at COVID-19 Alert Level 2: Guidance for
housing and housing support service providers
Updated 10 September 2021
He kokonga whare e kitea; he kokonga ngakau e kore e kitea
(The corners of the house are visible; the corners of the heart are invisible)
This whakatauki reminds us that whilst we are attending to immediate, urgent, practical needs, it is also
important to be compassionate and care for the most vulnerable.
Purpose
This document provides guidance to housing and housing support service providers contracted by
HUD (includes providers of Housing First, Transitional Housing, Sustaining Tenancies, Community Housing
and other accommodation and housing focused support services) during the COVID-19 response
period. This guidance is correct as of 10 September 2021 and will be reviewed and updated as new
information is released.
What you need to know
General Information
New Zealand everywhere north and south of the Auckland boundary (map here) is currently at Alert Level
2 from 11.59 pm Tuesday 7 September. During this time a range of measures are being applied locally and
nationally. The prime reference for these measures is the Public Health Order 2021 (LI 2021/237). The PHO
notes that social service organisations “must have systems and processes in place to, so far as is reasonably
practicable:
• minimise travel of its workers between districts or alert level areas; and
• mitigate the risks of spreading COVID-19 when workers travel between districts or alert level
areas.”
The covid19.govt.nz website provides a range of information and resources regarding the steps we can all
take to unite against the virus.
The Alert Level 2 settings have changed from what they used to be earlier this year.
Mask wearing is now mandatory (for those 12 or over) at Alert Level 2 at the following locations:
• using public transport, airplanes (including on arrival and departure points such as train stations
and bus stops) and in a taxi or ride-share vehicle
• visiting a healthcare or aged care facility
• inside retail businesses, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, shopping malls, indoor marketplaces,
takeaway food stores, and public venues, such as museums and libraries
• visiting the public areas within courts and tribunals, local and central Government agencies, and
social service providers with customer service counters.
1As a worker, you legally must wear a face covering at Alert Level 2 if you:
• work in the public-facing area of a court, tribunal, local or central government agency or social
service provider
• are a delivery driver to residential addresses — delivery drivers only need to wear a face covering
when they are out of their vehicle
• work at a cafe, restaurant, bar, nightclub, soup kitchen or any other food or drink business
• work for a close contact service — for example, hairdressers or beauty therapists
• work at a retail store — including those that were operating at Alert Levels 3 and 4
• work at an indoor public facility — for example, a library, museum or a gym — employees working
at a swimming pool do not need to wear a face covering.
• are a driver of a taxi, ride-share vehicle, ferry, bus or train used for public transport — this excludes
school buses and ferries between the North Island and South Island.
Business or work travel across Alert Level boundaries is strictly limited.
These Alert Level boundaries are an important way to manage the risk of the virus spreading, so we keep
our loved ones and communities safe.
You may only travel across the Alert Level boundary if that travel is permitted. Your employer also needs to
make sure you have acceptable evidence that you are permitted to cross the boundary. Social and
community based services provided to support persons to maintain critical well-being or as crisis support
for people who are unsafe or homeless are ‘Alert Level 4’ businesses for the purposes of allowing travel
across boundaries.
Evidence to travel across the boundary
You must have evidence to travel across the boundary. The Business Travel Document can be used as
evidence of your right to travel across the boundary. Having one makes crossing the boundary quicker and
easier. Other evidence of your purpose of travel is also acceptable, for example, freight or delivery
vehicles could provide delivery dockets. Read more advice on travel across boundaries.
You must also have a form of photo ID. Every person travelling must carry evidence — you may not be able
to cross the boundary if you do not have it. Make sure you have printed copies of your evidence, or
electronic copies on your device.
You cannot use Business Travel Documents from previous Alert Level boundaries
You must register for new ones.
Testing of workers when crossing Alert Level boundaries
From 11:59pm on 9 September 2021, employers of workers who need to cross Alert Level boundaries for
work must have a process in place to allow these employees to be tested for COVID-19. This includes
allowing their workers to undergo testing, medical examination, or both during their work hours.
From 11:59pm on 16 September, workers crossing the Alert Level boundary must carry evidence that they
have had a COVID-19 test. Employees must get tested within 7 days before they cross the Alert Level
boundary. Refer to information about testing requirements and locations of testing stations.
Mandatory record keeping at busy places and events
Many businesses and locations are now required to take steps to ensure a people can easily make a record
when they visit. If you are the person in charge of a business, location or event, you legally must make sure
you have safe and secure systems and processes in place so that everyone working on or visiting your
premises can scan in or provide their details in an electronic or paper-based manual process, no matter
how long they are there for. This includes workers, contractors, customers, and volunteers.
You legally must have more than one way for people to record their visit, especially for people who are not
able to scan QR codes.
2Your system for recording customers and visitors can include:
• asking people to scan in using the NZ COVID Tracer app
• recording your customers' and visitors' details manually- you can ask an employee to manually
record visitors' details. These sheets must not be filled out by customers or visitors, or left in the
open where they can be accessed or seen
• providing paper forms for customers and visitors to fill in with their details and place in a collection
box
• using your existing record-keeping systems, such as swipe-card access or appointment bookings.
The Privacy Commissioner has practical guidance that will help you protect people's privacy when using
alternative contact recording methods. People responsible for a place or gathering where record keeping is
mandatory legally must:
• take steps to ensure they keep a record of the people visiting their place or gathering, and
• have systems and processes in place to help people record their details.
You legally must have ways to record a visit if you are:
• a cafe, restaurant, bar or nightclub
• an aged care facility
• a health care facility
• a close-contact personal care service — for example, a hairdresser or beautician
• an exercise facility — for example a gym or swimming pool
• an entertainment venue — for example a cinema, stadium, theatre or casino
• an indoor public facility where people gather — museums or libraries
• a court or tribunal
• a local and central government agency or a social services provider with customer service counters
— such as council or Ministry of Social Development office
• organising a wedding, funeral, tangihanga or faith-based service
• organising a concert
• having a gathering or hui at a marae.
Moving house
At Alert Level 2, you can move house, including between different Alert Level 2 areas. If you are moving to
an area with the same Alert Level settings, you can:
• ask your friends or whānau to help you move
• use a moving company.
Movers will need to follow physical distancing guidelines and keep a record of where they have been to
help with contact tracing. You can move house from an Alert Level 2 to an Alert Level 4 region. You legally
must carry documents with you to show that you are moving house to help explain your travel. This could
be a tenancy or sales agreement or proof of address. If anyone is unwell or has symptoms of COVID-19,
they should stay home and get tested. Refer to moving, buying and selling your home at Alert Level 2 for
more information.
Tenancy Services has advice for landlords and tenants about a range of property related issues here and
HUD has advice here.
Tikanga
Given the severe impact of the 1918-19 pandemic on Māori and the increased susceptibility of Māori to the
influenza A (H1N1) 2009 pandemic, consideration of the specific needs of Māori, cultural sensitivity and the
impact of a pandemic on traditional Māori protocols (tikanga) should be an integral aspect of pandemic
preparedness planning at local and national levels.
3Many iwi, hapū, whānau and marae implemented changes to tikanga when meeting and greeting. The use
of hongi, hariru and kihi have been discouraged and whānau have been asked to practice virtual or
contactless greetings such as “the east coast wave” or the long-distance hongi “hā mamao”.
Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā (National Māori Pandemic Group) have provided more guidelines
for whānau and iwi www.uruta.maori.nz.
Working with whānau
All housing and housing support service providers are encouraged to work closely together with MSD, HUD,
each other and other essential support services to identify appropriate local solutions for people who don’t
have anywhere to self-isolate (i.e. rough sleepers).
Community based support work (e.g. Housing First, Sustaining Tenancies, Housing Placement) should be
facilitated over the telephone or internet where possible. Where this is not possible (e.g. where whānau do
not have access to a device or wifi), support should be provided which meets public health rules, including
record keeping, social distancing and face coverings. At this time, accommodation with shared bathroom,
kitchen and social facilities such as night shelters, boarding houses, hostels and single site Transitional
Housing do not need to close unless directed to do so by MOH under the Public Health Order.
However, increased cleaning programmes should be implemented for all shared spaces and if possible -
identify spaces that can be used to accommodate individuals with mild respiratory symptoms and separate
them from others.
Using transport
You can travel, but make sure you do it in a safe way.
You should not travel if you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, are awaiting a test or if you need to self-
isolate.
Public transport can continue to operate with strict health and safety requirements. There is advice here
about travelling on public transport at Alert Level 2. Note that to help achieve physical distancing,
customers are not permitted to stand on public transport.
Personal travel across an Alert Level boundary is strictly limited. These Alert Level boundaries are an
important way to manage the risk of the virus spreading, so we keep our loved ones and communities safe.
You may only travel across the Alert Level boundary if that travel is permitted. You should make sure you
carry acceptable evidence that you are permitted to cross the boundary. Refer to personal travel across
Alert Level boundaries information.
Whānau who could be at high risk
Identify whānau who could be a high risk for complications from COVID-19 and make proactive contact
with them to identify any additional support they may need including registering for vaccination, if not
vaccinated already. People at high risk of severe COVID-19 infection include:
• people who have conditions that compromise their immune systems or have compromised
immune systems as a side effect of taking certain medications, such as chemotherapy.
• people who have chronic medical conditions such as liver disease, heart disease, kidney disease,
diabetes mellitus, lung disease or other long-term conditions.
• people with a disability and co-existing long-term conditions.
• people who have medical devices that enter the body (e.g. a catheter, tracheotomy, ileostomy,
feeding tube)
• people with surgical or large wounds.
4• people older than 70 years of age (noting for Māori this would be lower with some suggesting 60
years of age).
Taking care of your staff
The health and safety of your staff should not be compromised. Personal hygiene and education are
paramount. Staff and whānau should be reminded to frequently wash their hands for 20 seconds and catch
coughs and sneezes in their elbow and helped to understand the basic rules of self-isolation.
You may have already changed the way you interact face-to-face by providing doorstep services –talking
away from an open door and not entering premises. You may have already changed your service offering
including removing face-to-face services by using technology to support clients during this time.
You may want to consider a staggered approach to your services including shift-based work, staggered
breaks and continue physical distancing. You may also want to consider aspects around staff security at this
time.
Staff welfare support
Staff cannot come to work if they:
• Have cold or flu symptoms or any other COVID-19 Symptoms. Workers should follow the advice of
Healthline or their GP regarding when it is safe to return to work.
• Have been in close contact with a suspected, probable or confirmed case of COVID-19.
• This advice also applies to cleaning, maintenance and other essential Contractors.
If you or anyone in your household is a Close Contact and have, or later develop, any COVID-19 symptoms
the people in your immediate household should stay at home until you receive a negative test result; public
health officials will provide you with further advice.
We understand that your staff may be feeling heightened stress and anxiety during the different Alert
Levels: The links below provide additional resources and information:
• COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing advice
• COVID-19 mental health advice
• Mental Health Foundation
The MOH and covid19.govt.nz are the best sources of information around health and safety of people and
essential services. The website will be updated with information with links back to trusted sources.
Stop the spread of COVID-19
Personal hygiene measures are a highly effective method to stop the spread of the virus.
• If a member of staff becomes unwell, they should be sent home immediately.
• Minimise the number of staff members who have face-to-face interactions with clients.
• Mask wearing is now mandatory (for those 12 years of age or over) when providing or
accessing any essential service.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Workplaces should have their own PPE protocols in place and training should include when to use PPE, what
PPE is necessary, how to use effectively and how to properly dispose of PPE. The World Health Organisation
has developed guidance and rational regarding the use of PPE and COVID-19.
Cleaning standards
Accommodation providers (e.g. Moteliers) are required to complete regular (check) cleaning of rooms
during COVD-19 Alert Level 2. Accommodation providers should complete a thorough cleaning of each unit
between occupancy of clients.
5MOH have also developed cleaning advice for use following a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19.
Business continuity
As part of your own Business Continuity Plan measures, we recommend as a minimum that you have:
• An up-to-date list of staff, key contacts and healthcare facilities and you are making regular contact
with these people and places to check in work through any matters.
• You have contingency plans in place for the potential reduction in staffing due to illness (self or
family members), staff being in self-isolation or managing child-care responsibilities. For
example, you may want to consider cross training current employees, extending part-time workers
hours or hiring temporary employees.
Below is a list of assurances provided by Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga HUD:
• HUD will ensure that contracted funding will continue to be paid uninterrupted.
• Payment of Income Related Rent Subsidies (IRRS) to Community Housing Providers (CHPs) will
continue to be paid on time.
• HUD recognises that there may be occasions where contractual breaches occur. There is no
intention to penalise providers in instances where this is a result of COVID-19 circumstances.
Where a breach is significant, please ensure that you contact your HUD Relationship Manager as
soon as possible to discuss.
Community Housing Regulatory Authority
During this difficult time the Community Housing Regulatory Authority (CHRA) advises it will take a flexible
approach to monitoring of registered CHPs. This may involve extending timeframes for annual monitoring
returns and any additional information to be provided to CHRA and deferring work on certain issues to
allow you to focus on the provision of housing services to your tenants.
Please be assured that your organisation will not lose its registered status as a result of disruptions beyond
its control caused by COVID-19 or if you provide support to tenants that would not usually fall within the
bounds of being a landlord. CHRA will be taking a pragmatic approach to regulation and expect you to do
the same regarding tenant welfare. If you are not sure who the best contact is in the Authority, please
email chra@hud.govt.nz.
Tenancy Services has advice for landlords and tenants about a range of property related
issues here and HUD has advice here.
Ministry for Social Development (MSD) Under Alert Level 2
In locations at Alert Level 2, MSD offices service centres are open with some extra guidelines in place. If
clients need to see MSD staff, they are encouraged to phone first to book an appointment. During this time
regular payments will continue, and staff will help people over the phone and through MyMSD in most
cases. You can find out more on the Work and Income website.
Emergency housing
MSD will continue to provide emergency housing support to people who have nowhere else to live
and no other housing options.
People with an immediate housing need should check their eligibility for emergency housing assistance on-
line before contacting Work and Income. See the Work and Income website for more information.
Transitional Housing referrals
• MSD will continue to refer clients to Transitional Housing providers.
• Staff, providers and clients will need to comply with Ministry of Health Level 2 guidelines for social
distancing and hygiene.
6• MSD encourages as much phone-based interaction as possible.
Public Housing Assessments
• MSD will continue phone-based public housing assessments at Level 2. People may need to wait a
bit longer for their appointment as we support the immediate needs of people in the most-affected
areas.
Public Housing Placements
• MSD will continue to support placements into public housing as long as those can be done safely
and efficiently.
• Staff, providers, tenants and contractors will need to comply with Ministry of Health guidelines for
social distancing and hygiene at Alert Level 2.
Fast-tracked Income Related Rent reviews for decreased income:
• Where a public housing tenant has suffered a decrease in their income, we want to ensure their
rent reflects their new circumstances.
• Please email MSD directly if a tenant’s income has reduced so we can adjust their Income Related
Rent. Community housing providers should email theses details
to GNL_Provider_Support@msd.govt.nz with the subject line COVID-19 Reduced Income.
Contact HUD
In the first instance, please contact your HUD Business Development or Relationship Manager to discuss
your concerns further. You can also contact us at Provider.Enquiries@hud.govt.nz.
We will be actively monitoring our normal emails channels, and centrally responding where
appropriate through Guidance and FAQs.
Other New Zealand resources
The links below provide additional resources and information:
• COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing advice
• Mental Health Foundation
• Te Matapihi – COVID-19: Information for Māori Providers
• The NZ Drug Foundation is available to answer your queries about drug use and drug-related
harm.
• Mental Health Foundation : looking after your Mental Health and Wellbeing during COVID-19
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