With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
California Has Surpassed Its Goal Of 15,000 Hotel Rooms For The Homeless
A new partnership with Motel 6 has helped California surpass its initial goal of 15,000 hotel rooms to support the homeless during the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom said today.
Project Roomkey is the state's effort to get the most vulnerable Californians off the streets and into shelter. As of today, the state had procured nearly 11,000 hotel or motel rooms as part of the project, and 4,211 people are now inside and off the streets, Newsom said. That's an occupancy rate of about 38%.
Adding to that total, Motel 6 agreed to set aside 47 of its motels in 19 counties for an additional 5,025 rooms, bringing the total to nearly 16,000 rooms.
Support for LAist comes from
Newsom said all the occupants of these rooms will be provided three meals a day through a partnership with World Central Kitchen.
Project Roomkey puts a priority on the most vulnerable, including:
- Those who have tested positive for the coronavirus
- Those who live in congregate settings who have been exposed
- Those who are most likely to get severe illness, including the elderly and those with underlying medical issues
Newsom said the state is looking for ways to reserve some of these hotel rooms to provide longer-term solutions to the homelessness crisis. The state and Motel 6 are working on a "template" lease agreement that, the governor said, might "make it much easier beyond this pandemic to potentially consider these sites as a broader portfolio to provide some more permanency for those most in need in the state of California."
The news comes as 87 more people died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. That brings the total deaths in California to 1,072, Newsom reported.
Hospitalizations also increased in the past 24 hours by 1.3%, though the number of people in intensive care units decreased a small amount, about 0.1%.
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist