State launches Project Homekey initiative, $600 million dollars in funding available to local govern

Project Roomkey was California’s plan of putting homeless showing signs of coronavirus into hotels.

The state now looking to make the transition to shelter permanent through Project Homekey.

Roomkey - the state's plan of putting homeless into hotels.

Now -- it's evolving into project homekey - making the transition to shelterã permanent action news now reporter ana torrea is live in redding.

How will this work ana?

The state is offering millions of dollars in grant to cities and counties to help the homeless find permanent housing during the pandemic.

Take so* trt:03 matt pontes county executive officer for shasta county we definitely are aware of it and we have a team looking into it back in june: the state launched project roomkey giving homeless people a place to stay during the pandemic.

Take so* trt:12 donnell ewert shasta health & human services agency director project roomkey has been very helpful, we've been able to use it for several purposes, one is to isolate and quarantine homeless individuals but the coronavirus keeps comingã and the homeless population remains at high risk.

Take so* trt: 04 bob cyphers lives in fremont i think its important that they can become seperated now the state now offering 600 million dollars to counties and cities in california for project homekey.

17 million dollars of that money set aside for smaller areas like shasta county.

Take so* trt:11 donnell ewert shasta health & human services agency director our intention right now is to explore all of our options and do our best to participate but we do need to have the stars aligning for us, so we're going to see what we can do ana stand u* trt ana torrea atorreanews the california department of housing and community development is overseeing project homekey.

The department says: it will be the largest housing expansion to help people who are homeless and vulnerable.

People i spoke to tell me: they're all for a permanent solution.

But want to see more done.

Take so* trt:08 kathi cyphers lives in fremont a stable housing situation is great but i would like a component of teaching them skills so that get themselves out of homelessness.

((butt to)) take so* trt:15 justin wandro good news rescue mission director of development with covid 19 its very uncertain and a lot of people have a lot of anxiousness and fear and so having somewhere that's there home, and having a place for them will go a long way to helping them overcome that anxiety.

Which can help them get back on their feet.

550-million dollars comes from the "coronavirus relief fund".

While 50-million dollars comes from the state's general fund.

Reporting live in redding, ana torrea, action news now coverage you can count on.

Shasta county received close to 400-thousand dollars in project roomkey funding.