{"id":23451,"date":"2020-04-08T14:37:22","date_gmt":"2020-04-08T21:37:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=23451"},"modified":"2020-04-08T14:37:22","modified_gmt":"2020-04-08T21:37:22","slug":"l-a-county-leading-unprecedented-rapid-expansion-of-interim-housing-system-to-prevent-spread-of-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=23451","title":{"rendered":"L.A. COUNTY LEADING UNPRECEDENTED RAPID EXPANSION OF INTERIM HOUSING SYSTEM TO PREVENT SPREAD OF COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"

Under Project Roomkey, County\u00a0and partners are\u00a0booking hotel & motel rooms as massive prevention effort so highly vulnerable people experiencing homelessness can also be \u201csafer at home\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"homeless\"<\/p>\n

Los Angeles, CA (Wednesday, April 8, 2020)<\/strong>\u2014 The Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and a network of service providers for people experiencing homelessness are leading the rapid expansion of its interim shelter system in a massive public health effort that aims to bring as many people as possible inside to protect their health and prevent the spread of COVID-19.<\/p>\n

As part of this work, the County will use state and federal funding with the goal of securing 15,000 hotel and motel rooms that will operate as temporary shelters as a prevention measure for highly vulnerable seniors and those suffering from chronic illness. This includes people experiencing homelessness who are over 65 years old, or who have an underlying health condition, and who\u00a0do not\u00a0<\/strong>currently have symptoms but are at high-risk for hospitalization if they contract the virus.<\/p>\n

The first hotel site of this effort, dubbed Project Roomkey, opened on April 3 in Los Angeles. A total of 1,069 beds at 15 sites are targeted to be operational by the end of this week.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles County, LAHSA and the City of Los Angeles have collectively allocated $39.3 million in state emergency homeless funding for Project Roomkey.<\/p>\n

\u201cProject Roomkey is part of Los Angeles County\u2019s multi-pronged effort to bring the most vulnerable in our community indoors. I am grateful for the collaboration with our state, federal and private sector partners to find critical housing solutions that will prevent the COVID-19 virus spread and help flatten the curve,\u201d said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndividuals experiencing homelessness often lack a safe space to self-isolate or practice physical distancing,\u201d said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. \u201cIn addition, the unsheltered homeless population is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because many are older and\/or have a higher burden of cardiopulmonary and immunocompromising conditions. By providing our unsheltered neighbors a place of their own, we can slow the spread of COVID-19 among those experiencing homelessness and protect them from exposure to the virus. Through Project Roomkey, federal agencies, the State, LA County, local cities, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and private sector partners will make sure no one is forgotten during this public health crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLAHSA is proud to step forward at this historic moment to bring together the resources of Los Angeles\u2019 homeless services community to provide shelter for thousands of our most vulnerable neighbors through Project Roomkey,\u201d said Heidi Marston, interim Executive Director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). \u201cOur dedicated teams are working around the clock to help preserve the health of all of our housed and unhoused neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sites are geographically dispersed throughout the County, in communities including West L.A., San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley. The locations are not being publicly identified because they are not walk-up sites. Guests must be referred by homeless service providers based on eligibility criteria established by the state and federal government.<\/p>\n

Project Roomkey is a partnership between several agencies working together to procure housing solutions quickly and stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus:<\/p>\n