Project Roomkey (PRK) was an innovative initiative by the State of California to provide private shelter rooms to medically vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the state, the Department of Social Services (CDSS) and local government agencies partnered to utilize hotels, motels, and trailers to bring people off the streets and reduce potential exposure to the virus. This evaluation, conducted by Abt Global in collaboration with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the California Health Care Foundation, assessed the effectiveness and challenges of implementing this adaptive response to the health and homelessness crisis across the state.
The report highlights PRK’s significant impact on reshaping approaches to interim housing in response to the humanitarian crisis of homelessness. Key lessons for policymakers include the value of rapid collaboration among local, state and federal entities, the need for comprehensive supportive services, and the benefits of private shelter rooms in bringing individuals experiencing chronic homelessness indoors, in many cases, for the first time. These lessons are particularly important in the Los Angeles context and the current state of emergency across the County.
The report includes:
- recommendations for policy and program design,
- the importance of robust supportive services to help stabilize people in crisis, and
- the need for cross-sector partnerships to address homelessness.