Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
LA's Program To House Homeless Residents In Empty Hotel Rooms Gets A Boost In Federal Aid
Julie Mariane gathers her belongings in a motel room provided to homeless people by the NGO St. Joseph Center, as she gets ready to be transferred to a hotel room in Venice Beach, California on April 26, 2020. (Photo by Apu GOMES / AFP)
The city of L.A. is extending Project Roomkey, the program to house those experiencing homelessness in hotels, after a boost in federal aid.
Under Project Roomkey, L.A. would pay for those rooms up front, and then receive a 75% reimbursement from FEMA. Then late last month, President Biden signed an executive order to reimburse cities for 100% of the costs.
On Wednesday, Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city would release funds up front to extend leases on multiple project roomkey hotels through September 30th:
"LAHSA (the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority) and service provider staff will continue to work tirelessly to get our current hotel guests into permanent housing, to move new guests into those rooms and to take every single empty room in those hotels and fill them as soon as possible."
He said half the rooms would be reserved for people who had been living on Skid Row and that staff would prioritize immediate placements for Black women, seniors, and those currently living in homeless encampments in Echo Park.
Project Roomkey has been criticized for falling short of its goals.
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our nonprofit public service journalism: Donate now.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
