January’s annual homelessness count came before the COVID-19 outbreak paralyzed the economy and pushed scores of people into unemployment — many of whom were already spending nearly half their earnings on rent in a city with a severe shortage of affordable housing.
It’s estimated that the county needs more than a half million new affordable housing units to meet current demand, according to a 2020 report by the California Housing Partnership. More than half of those were moved into hotels under Project Roomkey, a state program established to get those most vulnerable to COVID-19 off the streets temporarily. The rooms are reserved for people age 65 and older and those with existing medical conditions.
