Safe and sound: True North Housing Alliance places nearly 60 homeless individuals into local motels during coronavirus pandemic
Brian checks into his motel room as part of Project Roomkey.
For several weeks this winter, Brian has slept outside at the city of Chico’s transit center. He’s found that to be the best place for him to seek refuge while living unsheltered, because he can use the city’s electric wheelchair charger.
Living on the streets has been rough, he said, because he suffers from a variety of health issues, including kidney failure, diabetes, blindness, asthma and strokes.
Last week, however, Brian was approached by local volunteers providing outreach to Chico’s unsheltered population.
These volunteers told Brian about Project Roomkey, and determined that he was eligible to stay at a local motel room during the coronavirus pandemic because of his health complications.
So far, nearly 60 individuals have moved into motel rooms as part of this state program, implemented locally by True North Housing Alliance in partnership with the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services - Emergency Services.
True North's efforts have been highlighted in the Chico Enterprise-Record. Project Roomkey’s focus is to protect the vulnerable local homeless population during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Friday (April 10), Brian and 32 additional unsheltered individuals who had been living in parks, encampments or on the streets of Chico moved into local motel rooms. Four days earlier, True North had helped 26 of its most vulnerable Torres Community Shelter guests move into local motel rooms. All meet the program criteria of being high-risk: over 65 and/or considered medically fragile, with serious medical conditions or chronic illness, including diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, and/or lung and heart disease.
This program is a big deal, Brian said on Friday while checking into his motel room. It’s a relief to be able to be indoors, especially given the seriousness of the coronavirus, he said.
“It’s just about everything right now,” Brian said. “I’ve been freezing to death sleeping at the transit center every day.”
Vital Services Continue
For Project Roomkey, True North and volunteers from Safe Space Winter Shelter have focused on identifying the most vulnerable, at-risk individuals and getting them off the street and out of congregate shelter, said Matt Reed, True North’s interim executive director.
All guests staying at the motels are receiving wraparound case management and vital services, including meals delivered from the Jesus Center, access to telehealth care, health care referrals, site management (including monitoring and cleaning services), and security.
Staff have been onsite 24/7 to monitor and assist guests with needs related to cleaning, food and medicine, and to troubleshoot any issues or concerns.
Case managers are working diligently with individuals to figure out next steps, and there’s already been incredible progress made: several individuals have found housing and are moving out.
True North employee Ashley, an onsite motel monitor, said things are going well, and that Torres Shelter guests have been incredibly grateful that True North has helped them stay safe and shelter-in-place.
“They all love it so much,” she said. “Every single day, I have people coming to me like, ‘Oh this is so amazing, what you're doing for us makes us so happy.”
Ashley, an onsite motel monitor, says Torres Community Shelter guests have been incredibly grateful that True North has helped them stay safe and shelter in place.