The move comes as a Canterbury earthquake recovery specialist arrived in the city to help out.
The council opened the recovery centre yesterday, which recovery manager Ruth Stokes described as ''a single point of contact'' where all available assistance could be co-ordinated.
The South Dunedin area was one of the hardest-hit after record rainfall caused flooding last week.
The council was working through who else would be at the centre, and was discussing that with organisations from Presbyterian Support to the Methodist Mission, the Ministry of Social Development and Housing New Zealand.
Some might set up full-time or part-time at the centre, while others might have contact details there for those who needed them.
Mrs Stokes said council staff and volunteers would begin door-knocking at homes across the area from later this week to check on the wellbeing of residents, then follow up on issues raised.
Mrs Stokes said she had heard, anecdotally, there were older people who might need help but ''don't want to be a bother''.
Requirements in the area ranged from a need for temporary accommodation to furniture, to help dealing with landlords and insurance companies.
Waimakariri District Council recovery manager Simon Markham has been specialising in earthquake recovery in the district that includes Kaiapoi, which had one-fifth of its housing stock red-zoned after the 2011 earthquake.
Mr Markham was at the recovery centre yesterday, after being called in by the Dunedin City Council to offer advice.
He said there were things in common with the flood and the earthquake.
People had to leave their houses, and their sense of wellbeing and daily routine was disrupted.
