Orange County applies for state aid for permanent housing as coronavirus cases climb another 287

A mansleeps on the sidewalk in Costa Mesa. Orange County applied for funding from Project Homekey.

By Lilly NguyenStaff Writer

Aug. 18, 2020 6:14 PM PT

Applications have been filed with the state by Orange County’s Community Resources department for a share of the $600 million in state grant funding that would allow the county to convert three motels to permanent housing for the homeless.

County supervisors signed off on a request for $60.6 million from the state’s Project Homekey — not to be confused with Project Roomkey, which initially launched in April to secure 15,000 hotel and motel rooms to provide short-term shelter for vulnerable homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Orange County Health Care Agency reported that 147 of the 44,212 cases and one of the 815 deaths to date in the county have been people experiencing homelessness. Orange County United Way reported in 2019 that 6,860 people in the county are homeless.

Through Project Homekey, the state provides $600 million in grant funding to both cities and counties to purchase and rehabilitate hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings and others to convert into permanent, long-term housing. It is also available to other local public entities, such as housing authorities.

Eligible uses are to provide housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness and are impacted by the pandemic.

About $550 million comes out of federal coronavirus aid relief funds and an additional $50 million comes out of California’s general fund to supplement the acquisition of properties and initial operating funds.

Applications are due Sept. 29. Priority applications were due Aug. 13.

A homeless woman sits on the sidewalk in Laguna Beach.

County officials said Tuesday that three applications were submitted for Housekey funding for properties that include a 60-unit motel for $13.4 million, a 72-unit motel for $12.7 million and a 20-unit motel for $2 million. Officials did not disclose the names or locations of the motels.

Mechelle Haines, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Community Resources department, said the county is currently in final negotiations and would need state approval on applications and awarding of funding before the locations could be disclosed.

County officials said they anticipate word on approval this month or in September.

Haines said referrals to units will be handled through the county’s coordinated entry system, which connects homeless individuals and families to appropriate services and housing interventions. This will be done in coordination with the county’s continuum of care.

“Initially, properties can be operated as interim housing until the property converts to permanent housing, which can take up to five years,” Haines said. “Once properties are converted to permanent housing, leases are implemented and individuals are allowed to stay per the terms of the lease like any apartment unit.”

A man sits on a bench in Corona del Mar.

On Tuesday, the Orange County Health Care Agency reported another 287 cases and five new deaths in the county.

The deaths included two skilled nursing facility residents, two assisted living facility residents and one resident not living in a facility.

The agency reported 6,282 new tests, bringing the total to 560,104.

The number of currently hospitalized cases is 409, with 124 of those cases currently in intensive care units. An estimated 35,421 have recovered to date.

Here are the latest cumulative coronavirus case counts and COVID-19 deaths for select cities:

Santa Ana: 8,639 cases; 210 deaths
Anaheim: 7,568 cases; 189 deaths
Huntington Beach: 1,956 cases; 56 deaths
Costa Mesa: 1,439 cases; 14 deaths
Irvine: 1,349 cases; 12 deaths
Newport Beach: 955 cases; 14 deaths
Fountain Valley: 427 cases; eight deaths
Laguna Beach: 153 cases; less than five deaths

And here are case counts followed by deaths, by age group:

0 to 17: 2,953 cases; zero deaths
18 to 24: 6,579 cases; three deaths
25 to 34: 9,704 cases; 12 deaths
35 to 44: 7,155 cases; 25 deaths
45 to 54: 7,238 cases; 70 deaths
55 to 64: 5,324 cases; 105 deaths
65 to 74: 2,605 cases; 169 deaths
75 to 84: 1,475 cases; 180 deaths
85 and older: 1,149 cases; 251 deaths

By race/ethnicity:

Latino: 10,462 cases; 347 deaths
White: 6,201 cases; 257 deaths
Asian: 1,865 cases; 112 deaths
Black: 317 cases; 13 deaths
Unknown: 20,450 cases; nine deaths
Other (includes Pacific Islander, American Indian and multiple races): 4,917 cases; 77 deaths

Updated figures are posted daily at occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/coronavirus-in-oc. For information on getting tested, visit occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/covid-19-testing.

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