Safer Ground Program
Project Roomkey hotels provide temporary housing for unsheltered residents as part of the emergency response for COVID-19. For additional FAQs, data, resources, and success stories about Project Roomkey, please visit Homelessness Solutions in Alameda County.
Safer Ground provides non-congregate shelter emergency housing resources for individuals experiencing homelessness at high-risk of developing acute disease or complications from a SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) and who would benefit from physical distancing and non-congregate shelter as a precautionary measure. It is part of a larger statewide effort called Project Roomkey.
Safer Ground will be accepting referrals from March 15 - March 31, 2021. The referral period may be extended beyond this period and we will update this page to reflect any further changes.
Key changes have been made to the Safer Ground referral process:
Referrals will be accepted from the following program types only:
Household Eligibility
Eligible households must meet at least one criteria in BOTH Category A and B below:
Category A – Residential Criteria
At the time of referral, the applicant(s) must be sleeping in one of the following locations:
Category B – Clinical Criteria
At the time of referral, one or more members of the household must document that they meet criteria for at least one high risk health condition OR at least two risk factors and provide medical documentation.
Safer Ground provides non-congregate shelter emergency housing resources for individuals experiencing homelessness at high-risk of developing acute disease or complications from a SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) and who would benefit from physical distancing and non-congregate shelter as a precautionary measure. It is part of a larger statewide effort called Project Roomkey.
Safer Ground will be accepting referrals from March 15 - March 31, 2021. The referral period may be extended beyond this period and we will update this page to reflect any further changes.
Key changes have been made to the Safer Ground referral process:
- Aligned with CDC guidance clinical eligibility has been updated
- Referral are made by approved referring programs through a centralized process
Referrals will be accepted from the following program types only:
- Access Points (formerly known as Housing Resource Centers/HRCs)
- Community-Based Health Clinics
- Full Service Partnership (FSP) and Service Teams (ACBH affiliated)
- Street Health Teams
- Project Roomkey Isolation/Quarantine sites (if individual was unsheltered prior to admission)
Household Eligibility
Eligible households must meet at least one criteria in BOTH Category A and B below:
Category A – Residential Criteria
At the time of referral, the applicant(s) must be sleeping in one of the following locations:
- On the street or other places not meant for human habitation
- Emergency shelter
- Transitional housing program for individuals experiencing homelessness
- Exiting a health care or other institution with no identified residence at time of discharge
- In a congregate living facility for less than 90 days with no way to self-isolate AND was sleeping in one of the above categories prior to entering the facility
Category B – Clinical Criteria
At the time of referral, one or more members of the household must document that they meet criteria for at least one high risk health condition OR at least two risk factors and provide medical documentation.
Providers are encouraged to reach out with any questions related to eligibility, the application materials, or the requirements of the program after reviewing the documents and prior to completing the application at covidhousing@acgov.org.
The Safer Ground Hotel Voucher Hotel Program is no longer accepting new referrals. Households that are still eligible for Safer Ground can be referred to one of the leased sites using the updated process described above.
(updated 3/16/2021)
The Safer Ground Hotel Voucher Hotel Program is no longer accepting new referrals. Households that are still eligible for Safer Ground can be referred to one of the leased sites using the updated process described above.
(updated 3/16/2021)
