LORD Mayor Robert Doyle has opened up the city's pools to homeless to help them beat the heatwave.

The passes will be distributed by the Salvation Army, with hundreds expected to take up the offer over the next this week's extreme heat.

The Australian Medical Association has supported the move, saying that it could help relieve heat stress among homeless people.

There are at least 1000 homeless people in the city, while there are 22,000 across the state.

Showers will be provided and charities will assist with bathers and a towel.

The City of Melbourne has also opened up its foyers at the Town Hall and other public buildings to allow homeless people to beat the heat.

Cr Doyle said that he wanted to help people living on the streets after some shopkeepers moved them on from their air-conditioned premises this week.

"Not everyone can afford to pay to sit in an air-conditioned movie theatre for a couple of hours," he said.

"They are very vulnerable, homeless people, so we are giving people vouchers to use these pools."

The vouchers will allow entry to Melbourne City Baths, the Carlton Baths and the North Melbourne Recreation Centre.

Australian Medical Association Victorian president Dr Stephen Parnis supported the scheme.

"Access to places that are cool is absolutely essential for people who do not have access to shelter," he said.

"We need to take care of our fellow citizens - the elderly person living alone unable to use air conditioning or the homeless person living on the streets in the city."

The Salvation Army's Major Brendan Nottle said the swimming pool vouchers were well received.

"This has given people something to look forward to," he said.

Mr Nottle, who has been named Melburnian of the Year, said teams of his staff had been monitoring city streets and inviting people back to their drop-in centre in Bourke St.

He said that they had provided medical care for two people who had been suffering heat effects this week.

stephen.drill@news.com.au