Project Roomkey
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| Project Roomkey | |
|---|---|
| Name | Project Roomkey |
| Type | Emergency housing initiative |
| Launched | 2020 |
| Location | California, United States |
| Founders | California Department of Housing and Community Development |
| Status | Completed/Transitioned |
Project Roomkey was an emergency shelter initiative launched in 2020 to provide temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project coordinated with local and state agencies to repurpose hotels and motels, working alongside public health and housing entities to reduce viral transmission and connect residents to services. It involved partnerships across federal, state, and local levels, engaging multiple nonprofit and private-sector actors to operate sites and deliver case management.
Background and Origins
Project Roomkey arose amid the 2020 public health emergency declared by Gavin Newsom and municipal authorities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative followed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and aligned with emergency measures like the CARES Act and actions by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Planners cited outbreak mitigation lessons from San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles County, and New York City shelter responses, and referenced precedents such as Housing First pilots in Salt Lake City, Houston, and Portland, Oregon. Stakeholders included the California Department of Public Health, California Department of Housing and Community Development, local Board of Supervisors offices, and nonprofit providers such as People Assisting the Homeless and Lutheran Social Services.
Program Design and Implementation
Designers converted commercial lodging supplied by owners like Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, and independent motel operators into individual rooms to enable quarantine and isolation. Implementation relied on procurement frameworks familiar to agencies like the General Services Administration and contracting mechanisms used in Federal Emergency Management Agency sheltering. Site operations incorporated health protocols from World Health Organization and clinical partnerships with institutions such as UCSF, Stanford Health Care, and county public health departments including Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency. Service delivery models drew on case management approaches used by Coalition for the Homeless (New York City), National Alliance to End Homelessness, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation programs.
Operations and Outcomes
Operationally, facilities were staffed by nonprofit operators like PATH and Homeward Bound of Marin, with medical outreach from providers such as AltaMed and Kaiser Permanente. Outcomes measured included reductions in emergency room visits reported by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, occupancy rates across participating sites in Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and Orange County, and transition rates to permanent housing placements linked to listings from HUD Exchange and California Housing Finance Agency. Evaluations referenced data systems such as the Homeless Management Information System and outcome studies by academic partners at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Some jurisdictions reported decreases in congregate shelter density akin to earlier interventions in Seattle and Boston.
Funding and Administration
Funding combined federal allocations from the Coronavirus Relief Fund, Community Development Block Grant flexibilities, and emergency dollars from the CARES Act, alongside state budgets administered by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and local allocations from Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office. Administration involved procurement teams modeled after Department of Homeland Security practices and budget oversight with involvement from auditors such as the California State Auditor and county treasurers. Private philanthropy from entities like the Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and local community foundations supplemented service contracts with nonprofits including United Way chapters and The Salvation Army.
Criticism and Controversies
Critics raised issues similar to debates in Seattle and New York City about rapid rehousing versus permanent supportive housing, comparing with controversies surrounding Encampment sweeps and court rulings like Martin v. City of Boise. Concerns included site selection disputes with neighborhood associations in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, contracting transparency questions echoed in investigations by media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle, and civil rights concerns raised by groups like the ACLU and Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Labor advocates including Service Employees International Union voiced staffing and wage complaints, while housing advocates highlighted limited permanent placement outcomes similar to critiques of rapid rehousing programs nationally.
Legacy and Policy Impact
Project Roomkey influenced subsequent state initiatives such as Project Homekey and helped shape policy debates in the California State Legislature about emergency housing, homelessness funding, and public health preparedness. It informed best practices used by municipal leaders in San Jose, Oakland, Long Beach, and influenced program designs considered by federal agencies like HUD and CDC. Academics at USC Price School of Public Policy and policy centers like the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution have used Roomkey data to study emergency interventions, while nonprofit coalitions including National Alliance to End Homelessness have integrated lessons into advocacy for scalable housing-first investments.