More than 650 homeless people placed in motels and trailers in Sacramento's Covid-19 response

In just two months, the city and county of Sacramento have housed 652 homeless people in motel rooms and trailers through Project Roomkey, the state and federally funded homeless response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fears of COVID outbreaks in homeless camps have not materialized, so the joint city-county response team has focused on housing people considered vulnerable because they are over 55 or have pre-existing conditions. The team is working on a plan to permanently house guests through a combination of existing housing, motel acquisitions and expansion of rent subsidies.

The county has leased its fourth motel, which should be fully occupied by the end of the week. In addition to the motel rooms, people are being housed in travel trailers at Cal Expo.

In addition, 56 handwashing stations and 49 portable toilets have been placed next to homeless encampments. A total of 47,276 meals have been provided to people living outdoors through volunteers, Loaves and Fishes and Sacramento Covered.

Nearly 500 people living in camps, shelters and quarantine units have been tested for COVID-19, with just one positive test.