As a part of the State of California’s Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD’s) Project Homekey (PHK) Round 1 Program, the County of Los Angeles applied for funding to acquire properties that will be used as permanent supportive housing (PSH) for people experiencing homelessness (PEH).
On September 29, 2020, and October 13, 2020, the Board of Supervisors authorized the acquisition of ten (10) motels/hotel sites for rehabilitation and conversion into PSH for PEH or at high risk of experiencing homelessness. The County utilized the Cares Act funding grant for the acquisition and County provided for the local match required for the acquisition, rehabilitation, and operation of these properties.
ARPA funding will be used to rehabilitate eight (8) of the ten (10) properties to provide housing for the most vulnerable residents of the County of Los Angeles, all of whom have been impacted by COVID-19. With the onset of the pandemic, the number of deaths among PEH in the County increased, going from 1,271 deaths pre-pandemic (March 31, 2019-April 1, 2020) to 1,988 deaths (April 1, 2020-March 31, 2021). While COVID-19 became the third leading cause of death among PEH in the post-pandemic onset year, the overall increase was driven to an equal or more considerable degree by increases in overdoses, homicide, congenital heart disease, and traffic injury deaths.
Evidence shows the COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated stressors already present in the lives of PEH, leading to increases in other causes of death, even as we redoubled our COVID-19 prevention efforts in this population. The PHK Round 1 Program will help reduce these stressors and create more stability for PEH, increasing their ability to secure safe housing and comprehensive supportive services to stabilize and maintain their housing.
