LA will buy mostly-vacant motels for Project Homekey

The City of Los Angeles has earmarked $105 million to buy 10 motels and convert them into interim housing for people experiencing homelessness.

Those properties together are expected to provide shelter for 536 people, according to Urbanize. The City Council voted to go forward with the purchases.

Most of that money — $68 million — comes from grant funding through the state’s Project Homekey program. Roughly $37 million will come from the city itself.

Project Homekey is the state’s successor to Project Roomkey. The program was funded with federal coronavirus relief dollars. It saw cities and counties rent hotel rooms for people especially vulnerable to Covid-19.

Around 5,750 people were housed in L.A. County through the program, well below its stated goal. The L.A. Homeless Services Authority is phasing out the program because of uncertainty in funding.

Project Homekey is meant to provide more permanent housing for people who were housed through Project Roomkey.

Two of the properties the city will purchase were used for Project Roomkey — the Howard Johnson at 7432 Reseda Boulevard and Hotel Solaire at 1710 7th Street.

The others, located across the city, are mostly vacant. The city expects to convert and reopen them within 90 days of purchase.

L.A. County is also considering buying some hotels to convert to permanent housing through Project Homekey. [Urbanize] ­— Dennis Lynch