Project Roomkey

California Governor Gavin Newsom established Project Roomkey in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Project Roomkey, the state rents and converts hotel and motel rooms to house homeless individuals who are at high risk of contracting COVID-19. This first-of-its-kind initiative serves a dual purpose: to provide temporary support to California's homeless residents and to offer economic relief to the state's hospitality industry, which has been particularly affected by the pandemic's resulting economic crisis.

In Los Angeles, Project Roomkey operates as a collaboration between the State government, Los Angeles County, and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Converted hotels and motels will be available to residents for 3 months, referred by service providers and outreach workers embedded in the community. Once placed in converted rooms, residents are offered services including three meals a day and medical monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms.