Metro Phoenix Hotels House People Most Vulnerable To COVID-19
During the pandemic, seven hotels across four Valley cities are housing people experiencing homelessness.
Phoenix is using up to $3,488,927 in federal relief funds to cover about 100 hotel rooms for a year. Central Arizona Shelter Services is overseeing the program to help people considered most at risk of COVID-19 complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That includes those over 65 and people with chronic illnesses. Security, meals and case management are part of the program with a goal to get people into permanent housing.
Maricopa County is using $9.4 million in federal dollars to cover more than 250 rooms from April through December. It includes a shelter in Scottsdale and hotels in Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa and Chandler.
One of the Phoenix hotels is used to isolate people who tested positive for COVID-19 and those under investigation for the virus and provide healthcare and other services. The county says the number of people served at this location changes daily and can be up to 136.
Here’s how the other county-funded locations break down:
- Scottsdale shelter: 48
- Downtown Phoenix hotel: 38
- Downtown Phoenix hotel: 35
- Tempe hotel: 12
- Mesa hotel: 12
- Chandler hotel: 10
