Kaiser Permanente Earmarks $1M for Homeless COVID-19 Response

The homeless population is at high risk for the coronavirus due to their living conditions and challenges in hygiene and sanitation. And they tend to be overlooked in times of emergency, such as a pandemic like this one.

In collaboration with the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, Kaiser is providing $1 million to increase capacity for preventing and treating cases of COVID-19 among the homeless.

Destination Home in Santa Clara County, Homeless Health Care Los Angeles, the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness, and Central City Concern in Portland, Oregon, have already been named as initial-funding recipients for support. These locations have been among the communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Kaiser also is advocating for emergency housing funding from the federal government in the form of rental and mortgage assistance, as well as supplemental funding to housing authorities, housing-assistance providers and homeless navigation services.