Walnut: Project Roomkey
The City of Walnut is in communication with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and is closely monitoring Project Roomkey at the Quality Inn on Fairway Drive located in neighboring Unincorporated Los Angeles County.
Project Roomkey is a collaborative effort by the State, L.A. County, and LAHSA to secure hotel and motel rooms for vulnerable people experiencing homelessness. It gives a way for people who don’t have a home to stay safe inside and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
Hotel rooms provide temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness who are not COVID-19 positive or symptomatic, but are vulnerable to complications should they become infected with COVID-19. The location closest to the City of Walnut boundaries is the Quality Inn & Suites located at 1170 Fairway Dr. in Unincorporated Los Angeles County. Project Roomkey sites do not accept walk-in or walk-up clients. before arrival, individuals are prescreened and selected by homeless services provider then transported to their assigned location.
The County has contracted with a private security firm to deploy security guards on site 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Security is meant to make sure the safety of everyone on site. At least one professional security guard is present for every 50 rooms. The sites are not being used to quarantine individuals or treat COVID-19 patients, but provide a safe and separate place for vulnerable homeless individuals that are elderly or have underlying health conditions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The safety and security of the City of Walnut’s community is the City’s highest priority during this pandemic and the City will continue to engage closely with LA County representatives to stay informed and updated about Project Roomkey.
For updates and information about the current number of cases in Los Angeles County, the spread of the virus, testing, and other important public health information.
Walnut is a city in the eastern part of Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. Money's Best Places to Live ranked Walnut #70 in 2009 and #57 in 2011, the highest ranking for a California city in both years. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 29,172, and in 2019 the population was estimated at 29,685.
