VOLUNTEERS will roam the streets in the early hours of today and tomorrow to find Hobart's most vulnerable homeless people.

Under the 50 Lives for 50 Homes project some of those worst off will be matched with an apartment and support run by Common Ground Tasmania, which is building affordable inner-Hobart housing.

Those sleeping rough will be surveyed by more than 70 volunteers as part of the project, run by Common Ground and the Salvation Army and supported by the State Government.

"Our primary objective is to get the whole community involved to support homeless people," Common Ground Tasmania managing director Elizabeth Thomas said.

"We have about 100 volunteers, including team leaders, and they come from all walks of life nurses, aldermen, CEOs."

She said an internationally recognised vulnerability index tool, to assess the risk of a person dying because of their homelessness, would be used.

"That will enable us to identify those most vulnerable and prioritise them for housing," Ms Thomas said.

Teams have already spent several months around Hobart, including the eastern shore, researching areas.

Human Services Minister Cassy O'Connor commended Common Ground for its action.

"People sleeping rough are some of our most hard-to-reach homeless people, which is why the survey being conducted this week is so important. It has the potential to change lives," Ms O'Connor said.

Common Ground apartments in Goulburn, Liverpool and Campbell streets, with a total of nearly 100 bedsits or one-bedroom apartments, would house people.

The units, which have state and federal support, would have a mix of chronically homeless people and people in low-wage jobs.

People will be linked to services offered by Salvation Army, Common Ground, Anglicare, Centacare, Richmond Fellowship and state health services.

Common Ground chairman is Hank Petrusma and the vice-chair is Kent Medwin, with Ms Thomas, Peter Blackwood, Thea Fairbrother, Damien Geason and Paul Green also on the board.

MICHELLE PAINE   | November 28, 2011 12.01am

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/11/28/280311_tasmania-news.html