Project Roomkey is Helping Los Angeles County Slow the Spread of COVID-19 To Keep our Communities Safe

Click HERE for Photos of Project Roomkey

 

Across Los Angeles County, Project Roomkey is temporarily housing seniors and other vulnerable people who do not have COVID-19 stay safe as we work together to slow the spread of COVID-19 and reopen Los Angeles County.

 

Project Roomkey, which is securing hotels and motel rooms for vulnerable people experiencing homelessness, aims to not only protect high-risk individuals, but to also prevent the spread of the deadly virus in our communities and protect the capacity of our hospitals and healthcare system. As L.A. County moves toward reopening, one of the prerequisites is making sure vulnerable people are protected, and that is the goal of Project Roomkey.

 

“The individuals who are temporarily housed in Project Roomkey locations are not infected with COVID-19 but they risk serious complications if they were to become infected,” said Heidi Marston, interim executive director of LAHSA. “We must prevent as many vulnerable people as possible from contracting this virus and the safest and most effective way to do that for people experiencing homelessness is to provide temporary shelter. That way, they do not risk contracting the virus and spreading it to others.” 

 

“The San Gabriel Valley has been a resource desert for too long, especially since the majority of residents are Asian and Latino who have a deep devotion to their elders. Project Roomkey is the perfect partnership with its prioritization to help seniors, collaboration with small business owners and emphasis on protecting the public health of the community,” said  Calvin Chan, Major Gifts Officer, Union Station Homeless Services, and long-time San Gabriel Valley resident. Union Station is providing services at two Project Roomkey sites in the San Gabriel Valley. 

 

There are 30 Project Roomkey sites temporarily housing nearly 2,000 vulnerable people.

 

To qualify to participate in Project Roomkey, individuals experiencing homelessness must be over 65 years old or have medical issues, such as cancer, that make them vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 and needing intensive medical care. 

 

Every site has 24/7 security, food and services are provided on site and participants are monitored for symptoms of COVID-19.

 

Because Project Roomkey, a statewide initiative, is temporary, on-site service providers are working with each client individually to develop a plan with the goal of moving them to a situation that permanently resolves their homelessness. 

 

Separate from Project Roomkey, the County has also set up quarantine and isolation locations for people who have been exposed to COVID-19. 

 

Project Roomkey B-roll and Interviews Available for Download (clean versions available upon request, credit LA County):

Project Roomkey Brings The Vulnerable Indoors: https://vimeo.com/414541835

 

Contact:

LA County Emergency Operations Joint Information Center

pio@ceooem.lacounty.gov

 

Housing Department Director Assesses Pasadena’s Housing Picture (Pasadena Now)

Citing a lack of housing across all income brackets along with rents that rise faster than wages, Bill Huang, Director of the Pasadena Department of Housing, delivered a challenging but hopeful report to the Pasadena City Council Monday evening.

Huang pointed out that there is a rapidly growing senior population — the baby boomers — and that 54% of them cannot afford a rental lifestyle. Along with that, there is a rapidly increasing homeless population in the County.

“Across the board, according to the State, we need to produce 584 affordable units before the year 2022,” said Huang, citing the loss over the years of state redevelopment funds, which California has used to assist cities, counties and nonprofit community housing development organizations to create and retain affordable housing, as well as federal HOME funds,. There is also a current lack of participating landlords for local rental assistance housing programs like Section 8, Huang noted.

Bill Huang, Director of the Pasadena Department of Housing

According to Huang’s report, there are currently 442 unsheltered homeless persons in Pasadena, 40% of whom are chronically homeless, unable or unwilling, for whatever reason, to find consistent housing, such as overnight shelters. By comparison, there are currently 114,000 total homeless people in California—22 percent of the nation’s homeless population—with Los Angeles holding nearly 42,000 homeless residents.

But Huang also pointed out promising new developments in the battle for housing, including an increase in LA County funds, as well as the new “No Place Like Home” program recently proposed by the California State Assembly, which would provide a $2 billion bond to construct permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless persons with mental illness, as well as $200 million, over 4 years, to provide supportive housing in shorter-term rent subsidies, while permanent housing is constructed or rehabilitated.

Download the Powerpoint Presentation given by Pasadena City Director of Housing Bill Huang. Click here

There are currently 4,011 affordable housing units in Pasadena, scattered across the city, said Huang, a number which includes rentals and properties that are part of first-time homebuyer programs.

Huang also cited a number of housing projects currently under construction or being planned, including Heritage Square, Mar Vista Union, The Groves, and Desiderio Homes. There are an additional 470 units in the construction “pipeline,” said Huang, mentioning Decker Court and Heritage Square South.

Among the efforts to increase affordable housing in Pasadena are more outreach and incentives to landlords,with increased payments as well, along with “signing bonuses” for accepting housing vouchers, Huang reported. Union Station Homeless Services also has a 24-hour landlord hotline. There is also a desire to establish a new fund that would reimburse landlords for damages incurred by a housing department tenant.

Pasadena should consider an increase of its inclusionary affordability requirements in transit-oriented districts, as well as establish a new commercial linkage impact fees, said Huang.

Huang also recommended City Council consider a new “progressive second unit ordinance” that would promote the creation of second units, as well as the city’s consideration of affordable housing possibilities when acquiring new city land.

There are currently three city-owned sites as well, that Huang believes would be suitable for new permanent supportive housing. They are the Heritage Square South with the capacity to develop about 70 units, the Kinneloa site, and the Garfield and Holly project which would be across the street from City Hall, and would create 50 micro-units, as well as city department office space.

Huang also reminded the council that Pasadena, along with Austin, Tx, had earned the 2014 Robert C. Larson Housing Policy Leadership Award from Urban Land Institute, a global nonprofit education and research institute, for having the best housing policy in the nation.

Community Council: Union Station Homeless Services (KIIS Cares)

Community Council: Union Station Homeless Services

Union Station Homeless Services is part of a premier group of human services agencies in Los Angeles County that are leading the way to ending homelessness in our community. They are the San Gabriel Valley’s largest social service agency assisting homeless and very low-income adults and families. Since 1973, Union Station has helped rebuild the lives of thousands of people who were once homeless and without hope.

This year, UHSH is hosting a Dinner In The Park at Pasadena Central Park on Christmas Day! This incredible community event provides thousands of holiday meals and hope for all who attend, including homeless men, women, children, seniors, very low-income families, and those with no place to go during the holidays. The impact of this event in the community is huge!

Listen here

Learn more about Union Station Homeless Services by listening to our Community Council interview with Octavia Sisley below! Check out their site here.

 

Tune in to Community Council

Every Sunday @ 7:20 AM on 102.7 KIIS FM!

Read more: http://www.kiisfm.com/onair/kiis-cares-54184/community-council-union-station-homeless-services-14209563/#ixzz3v7ovgtjM