These are all the issues currently being faced by south-west homelessness organisations trying to protect the community's most vulnerable from the threat of coronavirus.

A state government cash injection is helping south-west organisations with the influx of calls for help in this time of crisis.

An additional $128,000 has been granted to Warrnambool's Salvation Army and Brophy Family & Youth Services.

Of that, $98,000 will go towards helping people access the private rental assistance scheme and $30,000 to the housing establishment fund.

SalvoConnect Western regional manager Lindsay Stow said the services had seen an increase in people requesting assistance in the weeks since the pandemic took hold.

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"We're certainly starting to see an increase in presentations to our homelessness entry point services and private rental assistance program, people we wouldn't normally see starting to face financial difficulties," he said.

"We been operating the rental assistance program since 2017 but in response to the COVID-19 situation we've been provided an additional injection of funds for April, May and June.

"The private rental assistance program is to assist people to access or maintain private rentals, and the HEF is to assist people with emergency accommodations."

With accommodation providers facing months of downturn in business, homelessness support services like the Salvos have found an opportunity to get a roof over the head of more vulnerable people across the Wimmera and south-west region.

Mahogany Motel Warrnambool owner John Colvey has lost more than 70 per cent of his income and about $85,000 over the Easter and May Races weekends alone.

Together with the Salvation Army, he is helping to keep a roof over the heads of the region's most vulnerable by opening up his rooms to the homeless.

The twist is that the Salvos are also keeping him afloat.

"We were going to close before the Salvos got in touch," he said.

"We've been taking in their clients for a discounted rate, it's usually about $95 a night but we've been taking in the Salvos' clients for $350 a week.

"We still have to come up with $14,000 a month for rent and bills, people don't realise how much it costs to run a motel, so every little dollar helps.

"It just covers the rent so as long as the Salvos keep coming in we will be okay."

With his business taking such a hit, Mr Colvey is looking at his eligibility for Job Keeper, but even that will hardly cover the bills.

"If we get this new thing it's about $1500 bucks a fortnight which barely covers the $1600 a month electricity bill.

"We'd usually be making about $30,000 a month but we've lost about 70 per cent of that income."

Salvos' Lindsay Stow said it can be almost impossible to find emergency accommodation in a holiday town like Warrnambool, where most accommodation providers are full throughout the year.

Now with the downturn in business he and his team are able to keep emergency clients in motels across the city for at least a week at a time which is normally unheard of.

"If you've got to self-isolate and keep safe and well but you've got no home to do it in is a really awful situation," Mr Stow said.

"We've been putting a lot of people into motel accommodation over the last few weeks.

"Some local motels have been helpful providing weekly rates for some of the clients to stay put, bridging the gap until their government assistance comes though.

"There's a substantial need for assistance at this time."

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