latimes--2020-05-19--Orange County coronavirus case count reaches 4,500, with no new deaths

Orange County health officials announced an additional 75 coronavirus infections Tuesday , raising the region ’ s cumulative case count @ @ @ @ @ The county ’ s coronavirus-linked death toll remained unchanged at 88 — a total that @ @ @ @ @ of skilled-nursing facilities .
Residents of such facilities account for 513 of the county ’ @ @ @ @ @ An additional 350 infections have been reported among Orange County jail inmates .
There were @ @ @ @ @ of the latest update , including 86 in intensive care .
Both those figures were @ @ @ @ @ before , but that increase is likely attributable , at least in part , to @ @ @ @ @ reported their data .
Note : “ Other ” category includes unincorporated areas , as @ @ @ @ @ county ’ s jails .
Daily updates are preliminary and subject to change as the @ @ @ @ @

Jocelyn Corado, 8, waits for the next set of waves near the San Clemente Pier on Monday.
Orange County health officials announced an additional 75 coronavirus infections Tuesday, raising the region’s cumulative case count to an even 4,500.
The county’s coronavirus-linked death toll remained unchanged at 88 — a total that includes 23 fatalities among residents of skilled-nursing facilities.
Residents of such facilities account for 513 of the county’s confirmed COVID-19 cases. An additional 350 infections have been reported among Orange County jail inmates.
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There were 229 patients hospitalized countywide as of the latest update, including 86 in intensive care.
Both those figures were up markedly from the day before, but that increase is likely attributable, at least in part, to the fact that more hospitals reported their data.
Tracking coronavirus in Orange County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Orange County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
Age breakdown of cases
0-17 — 139
18-24 — 443
25-34 — 803
35-44 — 662
45-54 — 788
55-64 — 707
65-74 — 442
75-84 — 300
85+ — 215
Unknown — 1
Age breakdown of deaths
25-34 — 2
35-44 — 4
45-54 — 8
55-64 — 11
65-74 — 14
75-84 — 28
85+ — 21
California Do you know someone who has lost the battle with COVID-19? In our effort to cover this pandemic as thoroughly as possible, we’d like to hear from the loved ones of people who have died from the coronavirus.
Cases by community
Aliso Viejo — 24
Anaheim — 707
Brea — 30
Buena Park — 137
Costa Mesa — 66
Coto de Caza — 6
Cypress — 56
Dana Point — 24
Fountain Valley — 50
Fullerton — 156
Garden Grove — 226
Huntington Beach — 295
Irvine — 156
La Habra — 77
La Palma — 16
Ladera Ranch — 13
Laguna Beach — 44
Laguna Hills — 27
Laguna Niguel — 36
Laguna Woods — 8
Lake Forest — 38
Los Alamitos — 63
Midway City — 11
Mission Viejo — 60
Newport Beach — 133
Orange — 213
Placentia — 86
Rancho Mission Viejo — 6
Rancho Santa Margarita — 19
San Clemente — 57
San Juan Capistrano — 45
Santa Ana — 757
Seal Beach — 15
Stanton — 47
Trabuco Canyon — 12
Tustin — 66
Villa Park — 6
Westminster — 76
Yorba Linda — 67
Other — 353
Unknown — 216
Note: “Other” category includes unincorporated areas, as well as cases in the county’s jails. Daily updates are preliminary and subject to change as the county receives new information.


latimes--2020-05-19--L.A. County aims to reopen by July 4, but must rely on data and science, official warns

Los Angeles County officials ’ newest goal is to more fully reopen the economy by July 4 , officials said Tuesday .
The mission is to safely reopen retail businesses , restaurants and malls .
But getting there will be slow going .
“ We have to do a lot of things right so we can actually get to that date , ” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
“ I think the reality is that we are going to really aim together to get there as quickly as possible , but we ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The goal was announced during a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday , as business leaders lamented the toll the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on the economy , saddling business owners and employees with lost work and pay .
Also Tuesday , Sacramento County announced it has been given the go-ahead by the state to reopen dine-in restaurants .
County officials said their reopening plan differs slightly from the state ’ s road map : religious services and ceremonies such as graduations can be held only via drive-through , and outdoor gatherings — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatherings — can have a maximum of 10 people with strict social distancing .
Citing county officials , Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg tweeted that the county would be able to “ reopen some offices , small shops and restaurants ” by Friday .
“ It ’ s not just about allowing the businesses to open ; it ’ s also about the customers , ” he said in a media briefing .
“ People on the one hand are going to be understandably cautious , as they should be .
But I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lead the way .
I will go out to eat .
I ’ ll eat al fresco.
” But in Los Angeles County — the center of coronavirus cases in California , with more than 1,900 deaths — officials have long said reopening the economy will be more difficult than in other parts of the state less hard hit .
The idea is to avoid a reopening that occurs too quickly and causes more outbreaks .
Death rates have remained steady , but other measurements — such as hospitalizations — have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of the devastating economic toll the stay-at-home orders are taking .
According to Bill Allen , president of the L.A. County Economic Development Corporation , more than 1 million unemployment claims have been filed in the county , with restaurants and retail industries hit the hardest .
The continued easing of restrictions does not mean life has returned to normal , county leaders cautioned .
Parties and gatherings are still not permitted , and social distancing practices are still mandated .
“ I have a great deal of concern that people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supervisor Hilda Solis said .
The reopening news coincides with the announcement by county health officials of another grim milestone in the coronavirus pandemic : an additional 76 deaths and 1,183 new confirmed cases .
The daily increases come a day after a study suggested that substantially more people have been infected by the coronavirus than what Los Angeles County ’ s confirmed case count shows , backing previous findings from preliminary serology findings reported last month .
The study tested 865 people for coronavirus antibodies during the second week of April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been confirmed in L.A. County .
The findings suggest that the prevalence of antibodies among residents was 4.65 % , an estimate that implies about 367,000 adults had been infected by the virus at the time .
The preliminary findings reported last month estimated that 4.1 % of county residents had contracted the virus .
The ongoing study from USC and L.A. County ’ s Public Health Department was published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn .
The study indicates that the county has a long way to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sood , the study ’ s lead author , also said the findings suggest that contact tracing methods to track and limit the spread of the virus could be challenging .
Contact tracing — the process of identifying individuals who may have come into contact with an infected patient — is one of the state ’ s requirements before counties can expand their reopenings .
Samples were taken from a random group of people in a 15-mile radius of eligible testing sites.Two tests were inconclusive because of faulty kits .
Of those whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women , 55 % were ages 35-54 , 58 % were white and 43 % had yearly household incomes greater than $ 100,000 .
More than 39,500 L.A. County residents have tested positive for the virus — a number that accounts for the bulk of the state ’ s total of nearly 82,000 infections .
But officials have long warned the public that confirmed cases do not represent the true totality of the virus ’ spread .
As testing capacity has increased , so has the number of confirmed cases .
But to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county ’ s 10 million residents have been checked .
Of those , 9 % have tested positive .
The county continues to ease certain restrictions to restore the economy , while stressing the need for residents to maintain social-distancing practices .
Currently , most retail stores and restaurants allow curbside pickup , trails and parks have reopened and active recreation is allowed at the beaches .
Face masks are still required , while gatherings are not permitted in the county .
Although several counties have been given permission for dine-in service and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making cases for further reopening — the grip the coronavirus has on L.A. County is holding fast .
“ We ’ re many parts , and every part of the state of California is unique and distinctive , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday when asked about the state ’ s patchwork of modifications .
The governor noted that urban areas like L.A. County and the Bay Area may not be ready to move as quickly as other communities .
But there have also been positive signs .
As L.A. County found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the highly infectious disease was surging out of control in the county , with every one person testing positive for the virus infecting an average of 3½ other people .
Last week , L.A. County officials released data showing remarkable progress : The infection rate has fallen .
Instead of every patient infecting an average of more than three other people , every infected person in L.A. County now infects just one other person .
Among L.A. County public health experts , this number is called “ R , ” which stands for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This number can change when the public takes steps to change behaviors , such as adhering to a stay-at-home order .
The fact that the disease was spreading from one infected person to more than three others represented “ a high rate of spread , much faster than what is seen , for example , with seasonal influenza , ” Dr. Christina Ghaly , director of health services for L.A. County , said Thursday .
Officials believe the drop is tied to stay-at-home orders imposed in late March .
“ This represents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be very proud .
It is also what allows us to start and the restrictions that we ’ ve all been living with for the past several weeks .
Safer at Home bought us time , ” Ghaly said .
“ It allowed our healthcare system to become more prepared .
It allowed time for testing to be ramped up .
It allowed time to prepare to do more , and it showed the power of what we can all do to protect ourselves and one another .
”

Colleen Shalby, Rong-Gong Lin II, Maura Dolan, Sarah Parvini

Healthcare workers speak with drivers at a drive-through coronavirus testing site at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Los Angeles County officials’ newest goal is to more fully reopen the economy by July 4, officials said Tuesday.
The mission is to safely reopen retail businesses, restaurants and malls. But getting there will be slow going.
“We have to do a lot of things right so we can actually get to that date,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “I think the reality is that we are going to really aim together to get there as quickly as possible, but we’re going to pay attention to the data and science.”
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The goal was announced during a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, as business leaders lamented the toll the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on the economy, saddling business owners and employees with lost work and pay.
Also Tuesday, Sacramento County announced it has been given the go-ahead by the state to reopen dine-in restaurants. County officials said their reopening plan differs slightly from the state’s road map: religious services and ceremonies such as graduations can be held only via drive-through, and outdoor gatherings — such as weddings, funerals and family gatherings — can have a maximum of 10 people with strict social distancing.
Citing county officials, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg tweeted that the county would be able to “reopen some offices, small shops and restaurants” by Friday.
“It’s not just about allowing the businesses to open; it’s also about the customers,” he said in a media briefing. “People on the one hand are going to be understandably cautious, as they should be. But I know that I’m going to try to lead the way. I will go out to eat. I’ll eat al fresco.”
But in Los Angeles County — the center of coronavirus cases in California, with more than 1,900 deaths — officials have long said reopening the economy will be more difficult than in other parts of the state less hard hit. The idea is to avoid a reopening that occurs too quickly and causes more outbreaks.
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During a media briefing, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said pet grooming and training services, as well as car washes, would be allowed to open immediately.
Customers may drop off and pick up their pets outside the store, but like other retail, only employees will be allowed to enter the building, Garcetti said. Mobile pet grooming services must follow physical distancing protocols, he added.
The mayor reiterated the importance of staying home, practicing social distancing, hand washing and wearing face coverings.
“The more that you keep your physical distance, the quicker we’ll be able to return to even more spaces,” he said, adding that studies indicate that the virus’ spread could be slowed just from people covering their faces in public.
On average, over the last seven days, “we have seen about 940 new cases diagnosed each day,” Garcetti said.
Other measurements — such as hospitalizations — have been trending downward.
Officials have also been aware of the devastating economic toll the stay-at-home orders are taking.
According to Bill Allen, president of the L.A. County Economic Development Corporation, more than 1 million unemployment claims have been filed in the county, with restaurants and retail industries hit the hardest.
The continued easing of restrictions does not mean life has returned to normal, county leaders cautioned. Parties and gatherings are still not permitted, and social distancing practices are still mandated.
“I have a great deal of concern that people are not listening to that message,” Supervisor Hilda Solis said.
The reopening news coincides with the announcement by county health officials of another milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic: an additional 76 deaths and 1,183 new confirmed cases.
The daily increases come a day after a study suggested that substantially more people have been infected by the coronavirus than what Los Angeles County’s confirmed case count shows, backing previous findings from preliminary serology findings reported last month.
The study tested 865 people for the coronavirus antibodies during the second week of April, when roughly 8,430 cases of the virus had been confirmed in L.A. County. The findings suggest that the prevalence of antibodies among residents was 4.65%, an estimate that implies about 367,000 adults had been infected by the virus at the time. The preliminary findings reported last month estimated that 4.1% of county residents had contracted the virus.
The ongoing study from USC and L.A. County’s Public Health Department was published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn.
The study indicates that the county has a long way to go before herd immunity is established. Neeraj Sood, the study’s lead author, said the findings also suggest that contact tracing methods to track and limit the spread of the virus could be challenging.
Contact tracing — the process of identifying individuals who may have come into contact with an infected patient — is one of the state’s requirements before counties can expand their reopenings.
Samples were taken from a random group of people in a 15-mile radius of eligible testing sites. Two tests were inconclusive because of faulty kits. Of those whose tests were used, 60% were women, 55% were ages 35-54, 58% were white and 43% had yearly household incomes greater than $100,000.
Tracking the coronavirus in L.A. County The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, including cases, deaths, closures and restrictions.
More than 39,500 L.A. County residents have tested positive for the virus — a number that accounts for the bulk of the state’s total of nearly 82,000 infections. But officials have long warned that confirmed cases do not represent the true totality of the virus’ spread.
As testing capacity has increased, so has the number of confirmed cases. But to date, only roughly 358,000 of the county’s 10 million residents have been checked. Of those, 9% have tested positive.
The county continues to ease certain restrictions to restore the economy, while stressing the need for residents to maintain social-distancing practices. Currently, most retail stores and restaurants allow curbside pickup, trails and parks have reopened, and active recreation is allowed at the beaches. Face coverings are still required, while gatherings are not permitted in the county.
Although several counties have been given permission for dine-in service and in-store shopping — and more counties are making cases for further reopening — the grip the coronavirus has on L.A. County is holding fast.
“We’re many parts, and every part of the state of California is unique and distinctive,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday when asked about the state’s patchwork of modifications. The governor noted that urban areas such as L.A. County and the Bay Area may not be ready to move as quickly as other communities.
But there have also been positive signs.
As L.A. County found itself in a coronavirus crisis in March , it became clear the highly infectious disease was surging out of control, with every one person testing positive for the virus infecting an average of 3½ other people.
Last week, L.A. County officials released data showing remarkable progress: The infection rate has fallen. Instead of every patient infecting an average of more than three other people, every infected person in L.A. County now infects just one other person.
Among L.A. County public health experts, this number is called “R,” which stands for the effective transmission number of the disease. This number can change when the public takes steps to change behaviors, such as adhering to a stay-at-home order.
The fact that the disease was spreading from one infected person to more than three others represented “a high rate of spread, much faster than what is seen, for example, with seasonal influenza,” Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of health services for L.A. County, said at the time.
Officials believe the drop is tied to stay-at-home orders imposed in late March.
“This represents tremendous progress, and we should all be very proud. It is also what allows us to start easing health officer orders and the restrictions that we’ve all been living with for the past several weeks. Safer at Home bought us time,” Ghaly said.


latimes--2020-05-19--Junior Lifeguard Program canceled in Los Angeles County, Seal Beach

A generation of junior lifeguards may lose out on their California birthright because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the city of Seal Beach have canceled their Junior Lifeguard Program , citing concerns about the coronavirus .
“ We waited as long as possible to make this decision in the hopes things would change , ” Seal Beach Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey said in a statement .
“ It was a difficult decision and we wanted to give participants and their families as much notice as possible .
Our goal is to remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to ensure the safety , security , health for all in Seal Beach.
” Some coastal cities , including Long Beach , Huntington Beach , Newport Beach and San Clemente , as well as the state ’ s parks are waiting to see whether the program is still feasible this summer , holding off on swim tryouts .
“ At this time , we are cautiously optimistic that the 2020 Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Summer Program will take place , ” according to a city website .
“ As you know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about summer camps and children ’ s outdoor activities are still pending.
” The Junior Lifeguard Program is a summer tradition for many who live near the coast .
In order to participate , students must pass a swim test that includes treading water for five minutes and swimming 10 yards underwater without coming up for a breath .
The program helps students navigate the ever-changing ocean environment , perform lifesaving skills such as CPR and tests their physical fitness .

A San Diego Junior Lifeguard jumps off the Ocean Beach Municipal Pier in August 2018. Coastal cities across California are determining whether to cancel the summer program amid to the coronavirus pandemic.
A generation of junior lifeguards may lose out on their California birthright because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the city of Seal Beach have canceled their junior lifeguard programs, citing concerns about the coronavirus.
“We waited as long as possible to make this decision in the hopes things would change,” Seal Beach Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey said in a statement. “It was a difficult decision and we wanted to give participants and their families as much notice as possible. Our goal is to remain responsive to the community’s needs and to ensure the safety, security, health for all in Seal Beach.”
Some coastal cities, including Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and San Clemente, as well as the state’s parks are waiting to see whether the program is still feasible this summer, holding off on swim tryouts.
“At this time, we are cautiously optimistic that the 2020 Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Summer Program will take place,” according to a city website. “As you know, this is a dynamic situation and decisions about summer camps and children’s outdoor activities are still pending.”
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The Junior Lifeguard Program is a summer tradition for many who live near the coast. In order to participate, students must pass a swim test that includes treading water for five minutes and swimming 10 yards underwater without coming up for a breath. The program helps students navigate the ever-changing ocean environment, perform lifesaving skills such as CPR and tests their physical fitness.


latimes--2020-05-19--With restaurants hurting, cities look to turn streets into dining rooms

As coronavirus restrictions keep many indoor areas off-limits , some communities are talking about opening up streets to outdoor dining to help the battered restaurant industry .
The idea of taking over parts of streets has become a national trend as traffic declined due to stay-at-home orders .
Closing off streets has given people more space to walk and exercise .
But some cities are thinking about taking it a step further .
The city of Long Beach is exploring an “ open streets initiative ” that would repurpose some roads to accommodate recreation and outdoor dining .
Mayor Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ open up more public spaces for outdoor dining , transit access and economic activity , with safe physical distancing.
” “ Opening up streets and other public spaces to new uses creates more room for people to be outside , spend time with the community and support local businesses without overcrowding , ” he wrote .
Health officials have emphasized that avoiding crowds and not gathering with people from other households are among the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
While many specifics would still need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into outdoor open spaces such as parking lots , sidewalks and streets appears to be a particular motivation .
Doing so is important , Garcia said , since Long Beach ’ s restaurant dining rooms remain closed under state and local health orders .
“ Even though they ’ ve been allowed to continue serving customers through pickup and delivery , that hasn ’ t provided enough revenue for many establishments and some restaurants just aren ’ t set up for that model , ” he wrote .
“ We want to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open and stay open.
” Long Beach isn ’ t alone in considering how to reimagine its outdoor areas for residents that have long been cooped up indoors .
Other cities — including San Diego , San Francisco and Oakland — have restricted traffic on some streets to create space for people to walk , bike and jog at a safe distance .
The Huntington Beach City Council unanimously voted Monday night to look at expanding outdoor dining .
Councilmen Mike Posey and Patrick Brenden introduced the item on expanding local restaurants and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My vision is that on private property , restaurants that are limited to a certain percentage of indoor capacity may not necessarily need the number of parking spaces they have outdoors , ” Posey said .
“ Those parking spaces can be utilized for outdoor restaurant service , and that combination would be fluid .
As the number of patrons can increase on the inside , the parking spaces on the outside would decrease.
” He noted that Huntington Beach has more than 600 restaurants that employ about 8,800 people , many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We already allow restaurants to deliver to-go meals to customers picking up , and we also allow them to deliver cocktails to go .
It would seem that the natural extension of that service would be to allow those patrons to take those meals and beverages to a table that ’ s right outside the restaurant.
” The city of Los Angeles Slow Streets initiative , which limits street traffic to neighborhood residents , launched Friday in Del Rey and Sawtelle .
“ Adding more open public space while the ‘ Safer at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will make it easier for people to move throughout the city and for businesses to survive , while ensuring the social distancing that will be necessary for the foreseeable future , ” sponsors of Long Beach ’ s proposed initiative wrote in their memo .
Long Beach had reported 1,305 total cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning — though 848 of those people have since recovered .
The city ’ s coronavirus-linked death toll is 52 , and 63 people were hospitalized as of the latest update .

As coronavirus restrictions keep many indoor areas off-limits, some communities are talking about opening up streets to outdoor dining to help the battered restaurant industry.
The idea of taking over parts of streets has become a national trend as traffic declined due to stay-at-home orders. Closing off streets has given people more space to walk and exercise.
But some cities are thinking about taking it a step further.
The city of Long Beach is exploring an “open streets initiative” that would repurpose some roads to accommodate recreation and outdoor dining.
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Mayor Robert Garcia said in a community message that the initiative would “open up more public spaces for outdoor dining, transit access and economic activity, with safe physical distancing.”
“Opening up streets and other public spaces to new uses creates more room for people to be outside, spend time with the community and support local businesses without overcrowding,” he wrote.
Yesterday, I joined 15 restauranteurs from across the city for a virtual roundtable to discuss how they plan to survive as we reopen the economy. I heard one thing loud and clear: they want access to our city roads, sidewalks, and parking spots to create safe outdoor spaces. — Robert Garcia (@RobertGarciaLB) May 13, 2020
Health officials have emphasized that avoiding crowds and not gathering with people from other households are among the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
California Long Beach to open more recreational areas on Monday Long Beach issued guidelines for the reopening of some recreational areas after several weeks of stay-at-home orders amid the coronavirus.
While many specifics would still need to be hammered out, extending dining areas into outdoor open spaces such as parking lots, sidewalks and streets appears to be a particular motivation.
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Doing so is important, Garcia said, since Long Beach’s restaurant dining rooms remain closed under state and local health orders.
“Even though they’ve been allowed to continue serving customers through pickup and delivery, that hasn’t provided enough revenue for many establishments and some restaurants just aren’t set up for that model,” he wrote. “We want to do everything we can to help restaurants get open and stay open.”
Long Beach isn’t alone in considering how to reimagine its outdoor areas for residents that have long been cooped up indoors.
Other cities — including San Diego, San Francisco and Oakland — have restricted traffic on some streets to create space for people to walk, bike and jog at a safe distance.
The Huntington Beach City Council unanimously voted Monday night to look at expanding outdoor dining.
Councilmen Mike Posey and Patrick Brenden introduced the item on expanding local restaurants and allowing for outdoor table service.
“My vision is that on private property, restaurants that are limited to a certain percentage of indoor capacity may not necessarily need the number of parking spaces they have outdoors,” Posey said. “Those parking spaces can be utilized for outdoor restaurant service, and that combination would be fluid. As the number of patrons can increase on the inside, the parking spaces on the outside would decrease.”
He noted that Huntington Beach has more than 600 restaurants that employ about 8,800 people, many of them now out of work.
“We already allow restaurants to deliver to-go meals to customers picking up, and we also allow them to deliver cocktails to go. It would seem that the natural extension of that service would be to allow those patrons to take those meals and beverages to a table that’s right outside the restaurant.”
The city of Los Angeles Slow Streets initiative, which limits street traffic to neighborhood residents, launched Friday in Del Rey and Sawtelle.
“Adding more open public space while the ‘Safer at Home’ health order remains in effect will make it easier for people to move throughout the city and for businesses to survive, while ensuring the social distancing that will be necessary for the foreseeable future,” sponsors of Long Beach’s proposed initiative wrote in their memo.
Long Beach had reported 1,305 total cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning — though 848 of those people have since recovered.
The city’s coronavirus-linked death toll is 52, and 63 people were hospitalized as of the latest update.
Times Community News staff writer Matt Szabo contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-05-19--Earthquake: 4.2 quake hits near Fortuna, Calif.

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake was reported Tuesday morning at 8:58 a.m. Pacific time 22 miles from Fortuna , Calif. , @ @ @ @ @ Survey .
The earthquake occurred 27 miles from Eureka , 34 miles from Arcata and @ @ @ @ @ Calif .
In the past 10 days , there have been two earthquakes of magnitude @ @ @ @ @ .
An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year @ @ @ @ @ according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a depth of @ @ @ @ @ feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Find out @ @ @ @ @ and during , an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide .
@ @ @ @ @ by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS @ @ @ @ @ the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested in learning more @ @ @ @ @ our list of frequently asked questions .

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake was reported May 19 at 8:58 a.m. 22 miles from Fortuna, Calif.
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake was reported Tuesday morning at 8:58 a.m. Pacific time 22 miles from Fortuna, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 27 miles from Eureka, 34 miles from Arcata and 39 miles from McKinleyville, Calif.
In the past 10 days, there have been two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 14.4 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Find out what to do before, and during, an earthquake near you by reading our five-step earthquake preparedness guide.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-05-19--California is rapidly speeding up the reopening of the economy. Here's what it means

Gov .
Gavin Newsom has eased some of California ’ s requirements for reopening businesses .
The rules will make it easier for counties to restart the economy , but it still likely means that regions hit hardest by the coronavirus will open more slowly .
Newsom pointed to progress , including a stable hospitalization rate among COVID-19 patients and those treated in intensive care units , as well as increased testing and more protective gear for healthcare workers .
California also has faced intense pressure from some counties with relatively few cases to reopen more quickly .
Counties no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutdown rules if they have recorded COVID-19 deaths in the previous two weeks .
The original standard was criticized in many of California ’ s urban counties , whose leaders argued that even a single fatal case would block them from moving deeper into the second stage of reopening rules crafted by the Newsom administration .
The new standard removes the death rate requirement and replaces it with a more generous threshold based on rates of newly confirmed cases .
Counties will be able to move toward a more expansive reopening if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per 100,000 residents in the last 14 days — a standard that was originally one new case per 10,000 residents — or that fewer than 8 % of residents tested for the virus over a seven-day period were positive .
Counties also must show that the number of hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients has stabilized , meaning that it can ’ t increase by more than 5 % over a seven-day period , or that a county can ’ t have more than 20 hospitalizations on any single day over the most recent 14-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open more businesses , the plan allows counties to submit an application declaring that they ’ ve met the criteria and other requirements on testing , contact tracing and hospital capacity to prepare for a future surge in infections .
What is the big-picture impact ?
It means that 53 of California ’ s 58 counties can now move further into the second of four stages toward reopening if they file an application with the state , Newsom said .
The governor didn ’ t name the five counties that wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flexibility , though he cited concerns with skilled nursing facilities in Tulare County and a meatpacking facility in Kings County .
Nor is the announcement expected to bring immediate changes in Los Angeles County , which continues to outpace other parts of the state in confirmed cases and deaths .
Local officials say the infection rate in the county is falling , but they remain concerned about the potential spread of the disease .
The new rules will allow restaurant dining rooms and shopping malls to open again in counties that meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hinted that even bigger changes envisioned in later stages of reopening are just around the corner , such as and even spectator-free sporting events as soon as the first week in June .
What else do counties need to do ?
The state issued additional rules that will be used to determine whether restrictions can be eased : Adequate preparedness planning : A significant level of preparedness with testing , contact tracing , personal protective equipment , or PPE , and hospital surge , and planning for long-term care facility disease outbreak prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Testing availability for at least 75 % of residents • At least 15 staff per 100,000 county population trained and available for contact tracing • Hospital capacity to accommodate a minimum surge of 35 % of their baseline average daily census • Plans to prevent and mitigate infections in skilled nursing facilities • Skilled nursing facilities have more than 14-day supply of PPE on hand for staff , with established process for ongoing procurement .
The California Department of Public Health will accept second-variance attestations .
This allows for approximately 10-14 days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduction of the first variance and the second variance opportunity .
Where do regions of California stand ?
Some rural areas have reopened their economies more than others .
Los Angeles County is allowing some curbside retail service and has reopened beaches and parks .
San Francisco ’ s director of public health said Monday he was “ cautiously optimistic ” that the city will be able to reopen more in the next two to four weeks .
Dr. Grant Colfax , speaking in an online forum , said San Francisco entered Phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to open for pickup and delivery .
Phase 2b , he said , will involve relaxing restrictions on schools , offices , child care and summer camps .
He indicated that it was likely summer camps would be permitted , but said they will have to abide by health guidelines to prevent new infections .
As long as San Franciscans continue to social distance , practice good hygiene and wear masks , the next phase is just around the corner , he said .
Santa Clara County officials said they decided to allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no uptick in coronavirus cases since permitting construction and outdoor businesses to reopen earlier this month .
“ We make one change , watch the indicators , and when we haven ’ t seen that uptick , then we take the next step and then we watch again , ” said Dr. Sara Cody , the county ’ s health officer .
The new protocol for reopened businesses limits the number of employees to one for every 300 square feet of space .
Retailers will have to post signs at their entrances saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Everyone who is out in public should always be covering their face ” except for young children and people with medical conditions that make wearing masks unsafe , Cody said .
“ It is an urgent recommendation .
It is an expectation .
We hope it becomes a new social norm .
”

Taryn Luna, Phil Willon, Maura Dolan, John Myers

Lori Rand tries on a ring while being helped by Mary Perez, a salesperson at High Class Jewels in downtown Los Angeles. The jewelry store reopened over the weekend.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has eased some of California’s requirements for reopening businesses.
The rules will make it easier for counties to restart the economy, but it still likely means that regions hit hardest by the coronavirus will open more slowly.
Why the change?
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Newsom pointed to progress, including a stable hospitalization rate among COVID-19 patients and those treated in intensive care units, as well as increased testing and more protective gear for healthcare workers.
California also has faced intense pressure from some counties with relatively few cases to reopen more quickly.
Which California counties are reopening? To contain the spread of COVID-19, parks, restaurants and stores are slowly reopening.
What has changed?
Counties no longer will be kept from loosening the shutdown rules if they have recorded COVID-19 deaths in the previous two weeks. The original standard was criticized in many of California’s urban counties, whose leaders argued that even a single fatal case would block them from moving deeper into the second stage of reopening rules crafted by the Newsom administration.
The new standard removes the death rate requirement and replaces it with a more generous threshold based on rates of newly confirmed cases. Counties will be able to move toward a more expansive reopening if they can show fewer than 25 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the last 14 days — a standard that was originally one new case per 10,000 residents — or that fewer than 8% of residents tested for the virus over a seven-day period were positive.
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Counties also must show that the number of hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients has stabilized, meaning that it can’t increase by more than 5% over a seven-day period, or that a county can’t have more than 20 hospitalizations on any single day over the most recent 14-day period.
If local governments want to open more businesses, the plan allows counties to submit an application declaring that they’ve met the criteria and other requirements on testing, contact tracing and hospital capacity to prepare for a future surge in infections.
What is the big-picture impact?
It means that 53 of California’s 58 counties can now move further into the second of four stages toward reopening if they file an application with the state, Newsom said. The governor didn’t name the five counties that wouldn’t be able to take immediate advantage of the flexibility, though he cited concerns with skilled nursing facilities in Tulare County and a meatpacking facility in Kings County.
Nor is the announcement expected to bring immediate changes in Los Angeles County, which continues to outpace other parts of the state in confirmed cases and deaths. Local officials say the infection rate in the county is falling , but they remain concerned about the potential spread of the disease.
The new rules will allow restaurant dining rooms and shopping malls to open again in counties that meet the new criteria.
The governor also hinted that even bigger changes envisioned in later stages of reopening are just around the corner, such as the opening of hair salons and even spectator-free sporting events as soon as the first week in June.
What else do counties need to do?
The state issued additional rules that will be used to determine whether restrictions can be eased:
Adequate preparedness planning: A significant level of preparedness with testing, contact tracing, personal protective equipment, or PPE, and hospital surge, and planning for long-term care facility disease outbreak prevention and containment. This includes:
Testing capacity. Minimum daily testing capacity to test 1.5 per 1,000 residents
Testing availability for at least 75% of residents
Contact tracing
At least 15 staff per 100,000 county population trained and available for contact tracing
Hospital surge
Hospital capacity to accommodate a minimum surge of 35% of their baseline average daily census
Skilled nursing facilities disease outbreak prevention and containment
Plans to prevent and mitigate infections in skilled nursing facilities
Skilled nursing facilities have more than 14-day supply of PPE on hand for staff, with established process for ongoing procurement.
Response planning: Producing plans related to countywide containment, including testing, contact tracing, vulnerable populations, congregate settings, acute care surge and essential workforce.
The California Department of Public Health will accept second-variance attestations. This allows for approximately 10-14 days, the COVID-19 incubation period, between the introduction of the first variance and the second variance opportunity.
Where do regions of California stand?
Some rural areas have reopened their economies more than others. Los Angeles County is allowing some curbside retail service and has reopened beaches and parks.
San Francisco’s director of public health said Monday he was “cautiously optimistic” that the city will be able to reopen more in the next two to four weeks.
Dr. Grant Colfax, speaking in an online forum, said San Francisco entered Phase 2a of reopening Monday by allowing retailers to open for pickup and delivery. Phase 2b, he said, will involve relaxing restrictions on schools, offices, child care and summer camps.
He indicated that it was likely summer camps would be permitted, but said they will have to abide by health guidelines to prevent new infections.
As long as San Franciscans continue to social distance, practice good hygiene and wear masks, the next phase is just around the corner, he said.
Santa Clara County officials said they decided to allow retailers to open Friday because they saw no uptick in coronavirus cases since permitting construction and outdoor businesses to reopen earlier this month.
“We make one change, watch the indicators, and when we haven’t seen that uptick, then we take the next step and then we watch again,” said Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s health officer.
The new protocol for reopened businesses limits the number of employees to one for every 300 square feet of space. Retailers will have to post signs at their entrances saying they are complying with the new guidelines.
“Everyone who is out in public should always be covering their face” except for young children and people with medical conditions that make wearing masks unsafe, Cody said. “It is an urgent recommendation. It is an expectation. We hope it becomes a new social norm.”


latimes--2020-05-19--L.A. children are battling a new syndrome linked to coronavirus. Here's what we know

The condition is referred to as both MIS-C ( multisystem inflammatory syndrome ) and PIMS — pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome .
And it has become an alarming part of the coronavirus medical response because it affects children .
The disease causes inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels , symptoms similar to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has previously reported a possible link between the novel coronavirus and the syndrome .
On Monday , Los Angeles County officials said four children diagnosed with the have tested positive for COVID-19 through antibody testing and nearly two dozen other cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know about the Los Angeles cases ?
The county is investigating an additional 21 possible cases of the multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with the illness , County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
The nearly two dozen cases have been identified since March 1 and are under investigation .
“ There are no reported deaths .
But as people have noted , this is a very serious illness — although very rare in children , ” Ferrer said .
Three of the 25 children who have tested positive for the disease have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unit .
County officials are working with hospitals to identify any additional cases and in the meantime have urged healthcare providers to : • Immediately refer patients with symptoms of toxic shock or Kawasaki disease to a specialist in pediatric infectious disease , rheumatology and/or critical care .
Early diagnosis and treatment of patients meeting full or partial criteria for Kawasaki disease is critical to preventing organ damage and other long-term complications .
• Consider testing patients with Kawasaki disease , atypical Kawasaki disease and/or toxic shock syndrome for COVID-19 .
What do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition to L.A. , doctors in the United Kingdom , New York and a handful of other areas have identified the condition among children who tested positive for the coronavirus .
As of last week , New York alone reported more than 100 suspected cases .
“ This is a truly disturbing situation , and I know parents around the state and parents around the country are very concerned about this , and they should be , ” New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said earlier this month .
The New York Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the syndrome : • This syndrome has features which overlap with Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome .
• Inflammatory markers may be elevated , and fever and abdominal symptoms may be prominent .
• Rash also may be present .
Myocarditis and other cardiovascular changes may be seen .
• A child presenting with persistent fever , inflammation ( e.g .
neutrophilia , elevated C-reactive protein and lymphopenia ) and evidence of single or multi-organ dysfunction ( shock , cardiac , respiratory , renal , gastrointestinal or neurological disorder ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ partial criteria for Kawasaki disease .
• Exclusion of any other microbial cause , including bacterial sepsis , staphylococcal or streptococcal shock syndromes , and infections associated with myocarditis such as enterovirus .
Clinicians should not delay seeking expert advice while waiting for results of these investigations .
The CDC issued a bulletin earlier this month saying the agency “ recommends healthcare providers report any patient who meets the case definition to local , state , and territorial health departments to enhance knowledge of risk factors , pathogenesis , clinical course , and @ @ @ @ @ @

Nine-year-old Bobby Dean lies on a hospital bed in Rochester, N.Y., after being admitted with severe dehydration, abdominal pain and a racing heart. He tested positive for coronavirus at the hospital and the doctors diagnosed him with a pediatric inflammatory syndrome related to the virus.
The condition is referred to as both MIS-C (multisystem inflammatory syndrome) and PIMS — pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome.
And it has become an alarming part of the coronavirus medical response because it affects children.
The disease causes inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels, symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has previously reported a possible link between the novel coronavirus and the syndrome.
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On Monday, Los Angeles County officials said four children diagnosed with the rare inflammatory disease have tested positive for COVID-19 through antibody testing and nearly two dozen other cases are under investigation.
What do we know about the Los Angeles cases?
The county is investigating an additional 21 possible cases of the multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with the illness, County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. The nearly two dozen cases have been identified since March 1 and are under investigation.
“There are no reported deaths. But as people have noted, this is a very serious illness — although very rare in children,” Ferrer said.
Three of the 25 children who have tested positive for the disease have required admission to a pediatric intensive care unit.
County officials are working with hospitals to identify any additional cases and in the meantime have urged healthcare providers to:
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Immediately refer patients with symptoms of toxic shock or Kawasaki disease to a specialist in pediatric infectious disease, rheumatology and/or critical care. Early diagnosis and treatment of patients meeting full or partial criteria for Kawasaki disease is critical to preventing organ damage and other long-term complications.
Consider testing patients with Kawasaki disease, atypical Kawasaki disease and/or toxic shock syndrome for COVID-19.
Report possible cases to county health officials.
What do we know about this illness?
In addition to L.A., doctors in the United Kingdom, New York and a handful of other areas have identified the condition among children who tested positive for the coronavirus.
As of last week, New York alone reported more than 100 suspected cases.
“This is a truly disturbing situation, and I know parents around the state and parents around the country are very concerned about this, and they should be,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said earlier this month.
The New York Department of Public Health released an information sheet about the syndrome:
This syndrome has features which overlap with Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome.
Inflammatory markers may be elevated, and fever and abdominal symptoms may be prominent.
Rash also may be present. Myocarditis and other cardiovascular changes may be seen.
A child presenting with persistent fever, inflammation (e.g. neutrophilia, elevated C-reactive protein and lymphopenia) and evidence of single or multi-organ dysfunction (shock, cardiac, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal or neurological disorder). This may include children meeting full or partial criteria for Kawasaki disease.
Exclusion of any other microbial cause, including bacterial sepsis, staphylococcal or streptococcal shock syndromes, and infections associated with myocarditis such as enterovirus. Clinicians should not delay seeking expert advice while waiting for results of these investigations.
The CDC issued a bulletin earlier this month saying the agency “recommends healthcare providers report any patient who meets the case definition to local, state, and territorial health departments to enhance knowledge of risk factors, pathogenesis, clinical course, and treatment of this syndrome.”


latimes--2020-05-19--Did you check your lottery ticket? Winner hasn't claimed $28-million prize yet

Someone is $ 28-million richer but may not know it yet .
The California Lottery is looking for the winner of a SuperLotto Plus ticket , which was sold at a 7-Eleven store in National City , at 1601 E. 18th St .
The ticket matched all winning numbers from Saturday night ’ s drawing — 3 , 9 , 23 , 27 , 35 and Mega number 16 .
Though lottery offices are closed to the public because of the coronavirus pandemic , the claim processing periods are not affected , meaning that the winner still has 180 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim the cash , according to state lottery officials .
“ In order to claim a prize , winners must mail their winning ticket and claim form , or the winner may elect to keep the ticket in a secure place and present the claim in person when our nine CA Lottery District Office locations reopen to the public at a later date , ” officials wrote in a news release .
The 7-Eleven store that sold the winning ticket will receive a roughly $ 140,000 commission from the California Lottery .
Lottery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received more than $ 7 million per week in bonuses and commissions from the lottery based on sales levels in late March and early April .
Paul Morrow , the 7-Eleven location ’ s franchisee , told lottery officials while he ’ s not sure what he ’ ll do with the money , the win has helped his business during a difficult time .
“ We are in a residential area and even though some stores in our area have closed , we have stayed open to serve our community , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Selling lottery products absolutely helps business , no doubt about it .
”

A customer picks up her California Powerball lottery tickets at the famous Bluebird Liquor store in Hawthorne in 2016.
Someone is $28-million richer but may not know it yet.
The California Lottery is looking for the winner of a SuperLotto Plus ticket, which was sold at a 7-Eleven store in National City, at 1601 E. 18th St. The ticket matched all winning numbers from Saturday night’s drawing — 3, 9, 23, 27, 35 and Mega number 16.
Though lottery offices are closed to the public because of the coronavirus pandemic, the claim processing periods are not affected, meaning that the winner still has 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim the cash, according to state lottery officials.
“In order to claim a prize, winners must mail their winning ticket and claim form, or the winner may elect to keep the ticket in a secure place and present the claim in person when our nine CA Lottery District Office locations reopen to the public at a later date,” officials wrote in a news release.
California California Lottery officials shortchanged schools by millions, state audit says The California state controller has also launched a probe into 30,000 scratch-off lottery tickets given to the audience of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
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The 7-Eleven store that sold the winning ticket will receive a roughly $140,000 commission from the California Lottery. Lottery officials estimate that retailers across California have received more than $7 million per week in bonuses and commissions from the lottery based on sales levels in late March and early April.
Paul Morrow, the 7-Eleven location’s franchisee, told lottery officials while he’s not sure what he’ll do with the money, the win has helped his business during a difficult time.
“We are in a residential area and even though some stores in our area have closed, we have stayed open to serve our community,” he said in a prepared statement. “Selling lottery products absolutely helps business, no doubt about it.”


latimes--2020-05-19--A wild Hollywood Hills party draws 100 despite coronavirus orders — then a gunshot rings out

Los Angeles police arrived at a Hollywood Hills home Saturday night after neighbors complained about a raging party taking place despite the coronavirus restrictions on large gatherings .
But officials said the officers got more than they bargained for when they entered .
About 100 guests were packed into the 3,000-square-foot , three-bedroom home in the 1400 block of Miller Drive .
Once inside , officers heard a gunshot from a back room and found a man with a self-inflicted wound , according to police .
The man was taken to a hospital .
His injuries were not considered life-threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director , said the investigation determined there was gang activity at the party .
Three guns were recovered from the scene , he said .
The house had been rented out through Airbnb and used for the party , Rubenstein said , and the owner of the property was seemingly unaware of the plan for its use during the short-term rental .
Airbnb has told homeowners that it will not only ban guests who attempt to throw unauthorized parties but it will cooperate with law enforcement in any investigation .
“ We want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will we ban guests who attempt to throw an unauthorized party in a Los Angeles area Airbnb listing , we will be cooperating with LAPD and other law enforcement authorities in any investigations relating to parties and violations of public health mandates , consistent with our Terms of Service , ” the company said in a statement published earlier this month .
No arrests have been made in connection with the illegal party or the shooting , and police are continuing to investigate .
Gatherings of any size are prohibited under issued by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rules intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
But despite those restrictions , Los Angeles police have been receiving complaints about gatherings that appear to violate the order .

A Los Angeles police patrol car rushes through the intersection of La Brea Avenue and Venice Boulevard in April.
Los Angeles police arrived at a Hollywood Hills home Saturday night after neighbors complained about a raging party taking place despite the coronavirus restrictions on large gatherings.
But officials said the officers got more than they bargained for when they entered.
For the record: An earlier version of this story said that the house had been rented through Airbnb. Airbnb says that while the house was previously listed by their service, the house was rented through another service.
About 100 guests were packed into the 3,000-square-foot, three-bedroom home in the 1400 block of Miller Drive.
Once inside, officers heard a gunshot from a back room and found a man with a self-inflicted wound, according to police. The man was taken to a hospital. His injuries were not considered life-threatening.
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Josh Rubenstein, the LAPD communications director, said the investigation determined there was gang activity at the party. Three guns were recovered from the scene, he said.
The house had been rented out and used for the party, Rubenstein said, and the owner of the property was seemingly unaware of the plan for its use during the short-term rental.
No arrests have been made in connection with the illegal party or the shooting, and police are continuing to investigate.
Gatherings of any size are prohibited under stay-at-home orders issued by both Los Angeles County and the state, rules intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
But despite those restrictions, Los Angeles police have been receiving complaints about gatherings that appear to violate the order.


latimes--2020-05-19--California leased 15,000 hotel rooms to help homeless people. Half sit empty

Only about half of the 15,000 hotel and motel rooms that California has leased for mostly homeless people to slow the spread of the coronavirus are now occupied , a review of state records shows .
More than a month into Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s program to get homeless people off the streets , the occupied rooms account for — at most — less than 5 % of the 151,000 people who sleep on street corners , under bridges and in emergency shelters across California .
As of Monday , 7,919 hotel rooms had guests and another 7,700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Newsom ’ s office .
The actual number of leased rooms in the statewide program known as Project Roomkey could be even lower since Newsom ’ s goal also included rooms reserved for people , homeless or not , who needed to quarantine or isolate themselves because of the coronavirus .
What Newsom launched in early April as a coordinated effort to address homelessness during the pandemic has led to mixed results .
But , in general , it has progressed so slowly that it has fallen short of many expectations and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who need help indoors .
In some counties , the largest impediments have been delays in preparing leased rooms for occupancy , not , as the governor has complained , NIMBY interests at the local level .
In other counties , it has been a shortage of staff to care for homeless residents , providing services , such as food services , security , nursing and case management .
“ This has not been a challenge of leasing hotels , ” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg , who is co-chair of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The challenge is much more in insufficient numbers of service providers to deal with a much larger capacity of people and a big question about rehousing.
” Under the program , county officials are responsible for determining how many rooms to set aside for homeless people .
But the actual implementation of Project Roomkey is forcing officials from many counties to question how many homeless people “ the program can bring in , ” Steinberg said .
That ’ s because there aren ’ t enough service providers to help run the hotels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permanent housing .
Sacramento County is doing better than the state as a whole , with two-thirds of the 420 rooms it leased now filled .
But because of the backlog of people waiting for a room , it has held off on signing leases for another 570 rooms , Steinberg said .
Project Roomkey is largely funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency , which has vowed to reimburse the state and individual counties for 75 % of the cost of leasing hotel rooms and providing services .
Only homeless people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 65 and having health conditions that make them susceptible for dying of COVID-19 , qualify .
However , only rooms that are occupied are covered by FEMA under the program .
And while it ’ s unclear whether some counties are paying hotel owners for rooms that they have leased but haven ’ t filled , that is not happening in L.A. County .
The program ’ s goal of leasing 15,000 rooms would be enough to house about 10 % of California ’ s estimated homeless population — a figure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of homeless people in the state who are 65 or older or have chronic medical conditions such as heart disease or diabetes .
In Los Angeles County alone , officials have identified 15,000 people — a quarter of the county ’ s homeless population — who meet the age or health criteria and set that as its goal .
As of Monday , the county had secured 3,245 rooms and moved guests into 2,102 .
Statewide data provided by Newsom ’ s office on Monday showed that two large Southern California counties have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has filled only about 20 % of the 2,029 rooms it has under lease , and Orange County just under 30 % of its 666 rooms .
A senior official with Newsom ’ s administration said that the state was very proud of the pace and scale at which counties have gotten homeless people into hotels and motels .
It ’ s an effort that took weeks and otherwise would ’ ve taken months or years .
The state data doesn ’ t specify how many of the leased rooms are for those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 , as opposed to those who are homeless .
Craig Sturak , a spokesman for the San Diego County Health Department , gave slightly different numbers than the state , saying Friday that the county had about 1,700 rooms leased and 370 rooms occupied .
Many of the beds were secured before Project Roomkey began , he said , “ in anticipation of a large number of COVID-19 cases that would not require hospitalization but also would not be able to isolate at home.
” About 200 of the 370 rooms are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underlying health conditions , he said .
Sturak didn ’ t explain why so many beds that could be used to house homeless people are empty , even as thousands remain on the streets , but said “ there are other resources and programs to serve homeless individuals who do not need the level of care provided at these rooms.
” The San Diego Convention Center is housing nearly 1,200 homeless people during the pandemic .
Most were brought there from cramped shelters , where the virus is more likely to spread .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statewide homeless services and housing development agency PATH , said that San Diego ’ s leaders are well aware of what might happen if there ’ s a sudden jump in coronavirus cases among the local homeless population .
According to the county ’ s federally mandated point-in-time count , 7,619 homeless people were living outdoors or in shelters as of January , a 6 % drop from the previous year .
“ My sense is that they are trying to keep rooms open in case of an outbreak , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number could be .
Look at New York City and how bad it ’ s been there.
” In addition to running shelters in San Diego , PATH is providing services at four leased hotels in Los Angeles County as well .
While it has been able to fill rooms quickly , in some cases , it has taken more than two weeks to get rooms ready after the leases are signed .
More than 600 unoccupied rooms are in hotels that are not yet ready to open — in some cases because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in others because repairs were needed .
Riverside , which rented individual rooms rather than whole hotels , has secured 266 rooms and has filled them all — a number accounting for about 10 % of its homeless population .
Ventura County started working on rooms in mid-March and has among the state ’ s highest success rates .
Its 388 rooms are more than 80 % occupied .
Tara Carruth , manager of Ventura County ’ s homeless oversight agency , said hotel owners were eager to lease rooms and the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county identified about 350 people who met the age or health criteria for Project Roomkey — or about 27 % of its homeless population — and has leased enough rooms to accommodate that number and more .
Even as rooms eventually fill up , the impact of the statewide program will be hard to gauge , partly because of the duplicate goal of both L.A. County and the state to get 15,000 homeless people off the streets , and a lack of accurate population data for comparison .
Acknowledging that the pace of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for services will probably put the county ’ s goal out of reach , Marston said she ’ s not backing down .
There has been a lot of enthusiasm for Project Roomkey despite its shortcomings .
“ I do think there are ways of serving 15,000 people , ” Marston said .
“ We have built an amazing capacity .
Let ’ s keep building the capacity we have and turn the rooms over so we can serve more people .
”

Omar Spry of Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department pushes a cart of residents’ bags into a West L.A. hotel that has been turned into housing for homeless people during the coronavirus outbreak.
Only about half of the 15,000 hotel and motel rooms that California has leased for mostly homeless people to slow the spread of the coronavirus are now occupied, a review of state records shows.
More than a month into Gov. Gavin Newsom’s program to get homeless people off the streets, the occupied rooms account for — at most — less than 5% of the 151,000 people who sleep on street corners, under bridges and in emergency shelters across California.
As of Monday, 7,919 hotel rooms had guests and another 7,700 were vacant, according to figures released by Newsom’s office.
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The actual number of leased rooms in the statewide program known as Project Roomkey could be even lower since Newsom’s goal also included rooms reserved for people, homeless or not, who needed to quarantine or isolate themselves because of the coronavirus.
What Newsom launched in early April as a coordinated effort to address homelessness during the pandemic has led to mixed results. But, in general, it has progressed so slowly that it has fallen short of many expectations and is unlikely to get most of those who need help indoors.
In some counties, the largest impediments have been delays in preparing leased rooms for occupancy, not, as the governor has complained, NIMBY interests at the local level. In other counties, it has been a shortage of staff to care for homeless residents, providing services, such as food services, security, nursing and case management.
“This has not been a challenge of leasing hotels,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who is co-chair of the state’s homelessness task force. “The challenge is much more in insufficient numbers of service providers to deal with a much larger capacity of people and a big question about rehousing.”
Under the program, county officials are responsible for determining how many rooms to set aside for homeless people. But the actual implementation of Project Roomkey is forcing officials from many counties to question how many homeless people “the program can bring in,” Steinberg said. That’s because there aren’t enough service providers to help run the hotels and eventually help transition the residents into permanent housing.
Sacramento County is doing better than the state as a whole, with two-thirds of the 420 rooms it leased now filled. But because of the backlog of people waiting for a room, it has held off on signing leases for another 570 rooms, Steinberg said.
Project Roomkey is largely funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has vowed to reimburse the state and individual counties for 75% of the cost of leasing hotel rooms and providing services. Only homeless people who meet certain criteria, including being older than 65 and having health conditions that make them susceptible for dying of COVID-19, qualify.
However, only rooms that are occupied are covered by FEMA under the program. And while it’s unclear whether some counties are paying hotel owners for rooms that they have leased but haven’t filled, that is not happening in L.A. County.
The program’s goal of leasing 15,000 rooms would be enough to house about 10% of California’s estimated homeless population — a figure that falls far short of the total number of homeless people in the state who are 65 or older or have chronic medical conditions such as heart disease or diabetes.
In Los Angeles County alone, officials have identified 15,000 people — a quarter of the county’s homeless population — who meet the age or health criteria and set that as its goal. As of Monday, the county had secured 3,245 rooms and moved guests into 2,102.
On Wednesday, the San Diego Convention Center opened its doors as the city’s newest emergency homeless shelter. (City of San Diego)
Statewide data provided by Newsom’s office on Monday showed that two large Southern California counties have more trouble filling rooms. San Diego has filled only about 20% of the 2,029 rooms it has under lease, and Orange County just under 30% of its 666 rooms.
A senior official with Newsom’s administration said that the state was very proud of the pace and scale at which counties have gotten homeless people into hotels and motels. It’s an effort that took weeks and otherwise would’ve taken months or years.
The state data doesn’t specify how many of the leased rooms are for those in need of quarantine or isolation for COVID-19, as opposed to those who are homeless.
Craig Sturak, a spokesman for the San Diego County Health Department, gave slightly different numbers than the state, saying Friday that the county had about 1,700 rooms leased and 370 rooms occupied. Many of the beds were secured before Project Roomkey began, he said, “in anticipation of a large number of COVID-19 cases that would not require hospitalization but also would not be able to isolate at home.”
About 200 of the 370 rooms are for homeless people older than 65 with underlying health conditions, he said.
Sturak didn’t explain why so many beds that could be used to house homeless people are empty, even as thousands remain on the streets, but said “there are other resources and programs to serve homeless individuals who do not need the level of care provided at these rooms.”
The San Diego Convention Center is housing nearly 1,200 homeless people during the pandemic. Most were brought there from cramped shelters, where the virus is more likely to spread.
Joel Jon Roberts, chief executive of the statewide homeless services and housing development agency PATH, said that San Diego’s leaders are well aware of what might happen if there’s a sudden jump in coronavirus cases among the local homeless population. According to the county’s federally mandated point-in-time count, 7,619 homeless people were living outdoors or in shelters as of January, a 6% drop from the previous year.
“My sense is that they are trying to keep rooms open in case of an outbreak,” he said. “Nobody knows what the number could be. Look at New York City and how bad it’s been there.”
In addition to running shelters in San Diego, PATH is providing services at four leased hotels in Los Angeles County as well. While it has been able to fill rooms quickly, in some cases, it has taken more than two weeks to get rooms ready after the leases are signed.
More than 600 unoccupied rooms are in hotels that are not yet ready to open — in some cases because former guests had yet to leave or in others because repairs were needed.
Riverside, which rented individual rooms rather than whole hotels, has secured 266 rooms and has filled them all — a number accounting for about 10% of its homeless population. Ventura County started working on rooms in mid-March and has among the state’s highest success rates. Its 388 rooms are more than 80% occupied.
Tara Carruth, manager of Ventura County’s homeless oversight agency, said hotel owners were eager to lease rooms and the county provided staffing. In total, the county identified about 350 people who met the age or health criteria for Project Roomkey — or about 27% of its homeless population — and has leased enough rooms to accommodate that number and more.
Even as rooms eventually fill up, the impact of the statewide program will be hard to gauge, partly because of the duplicate goal of both L.A. County and the state to get 15,000 homeless people off the streets, and a lack of accurate population data for comparison.
Acknowledging that the pace of leasing rooms and the limits on staffing for services will probably put the county’s goal out of reach, Marston said she’s not backing down. There has been a lot of enthusiasm for Project Roomkey despite its shortcomings.
“I do think there are ways of serving 15,000 people,” Marston said. “We have built an amazing capacity. Let’s keep building the capacity we have and turn the rooms over so we can serve more people.”


latimes--2020-05-19--Photos: Vintage car racing brings sports back to California amid coronavirus restrictions

The Vintage Auto Racing Association held the first publicly sanctioned auto race since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in @ @ @ @ @ British Extravaganza , was held at Buttonwillow Raceway and maintained a COVID-19 safety protocol in @ @ @ @ @ the racetrack and Kern County .
The president of the club hopes the event will @ @ @ @ @ races to reopen across the country .

The Vintage Auto Racing Association held the first publicly sanctioned auto race since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Buttonwillow. The event, British Extravaganza, was held at Buttonwillow Raceway and maintained a COVID-19 safety protocol in order to receive clearance from the racetrack and Kern County. The president of the club hopes the event will be a model for other races to reopen across the country.
A team member prepares a race car before a race at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, Calif., on Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
A race car makes its way around the track at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, Calif., on Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
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Race car team members help keep shade on their drivers before a race at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, Calif., on Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Vintage race cars make their way around the track at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, Calif., on Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Vintage race car drivers get the green flag during a race at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, Calif., on Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
A small crowd watches during a race at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, Calif., on Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Dennis Howland climbs into his race car before a practice run at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, Calif., on Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
A race car loses control during a race at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, Calif., on Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
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latimes--2020-05-19--California leased 15,000 hotel rooms to help homeless people. Half now sit empty

Only about half of the 15,000 hotel and motel rooms that California has leased for mostly homeless people to slow the spread of the coronavirus are now occupied , a review of state records by The Times shows .
More than a month into Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s program to get homeless people off the streets , the occupied rooms account for — at most — less than 5 % of the 151,000 people who sleep on street corners , under bridges and in emergency shelters across California .
As of Monday , 7,919 hotel rooms had guests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to figures released by Newsom ’ s office .
The actual number of rooms leased for homeless people in the statewide program known as Project Roomkey could be even lower since Newsom ’ s goal also included rooms reserved for people , homeless or not , who needed to quarantine or isolate themselves because of the coronavirus .
What Newsom launched in early April as a coordinated effort to address homelessness during the pandemic has led to mixed results .
But , in general , it has progressed so slowly that it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlikely to get most of those who need help indoors .
In some counties , the largest impediments have been delays in preparing leased rooms for occupancy , not , as the governor has complained , NIMBY interests at the local level .
In other counties , it has been a shortage of staff to care for homeless residents , providing services , such as food services , security , nursing and case management .
“ This has not been a challenge of leasing hotels , ” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s homelessness task force .
“ The challenge is much more in insufficient numbers of service providers to deal with a much larger capacity of people and a big question about rehousing.
” Under the program , county officials are responsible for determining how many rooms to set aside for homeless people .
But the actual implementation of Project Roomkey is forcing officials from many counties to question how many homeless people “ the program can bring in , ” Steinberg said .
That ’ s because there aren ’ t enough service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually help transition the residents into permanent housing .
Sacramento County is doing better than the state as a whole , with two-thirds of the 420 rooms it leased now filled .
But because of the backlog of people waiting for a room , it has held off on signing leases for another 570 rooms , Steinberg said .
It ’ s a predicament that has not yet arisen in Los Angeles County , where the pace has been set by how fast negotiators have been able to sign leases with hotels and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Authority has filled most rooms within two to three days of their availability .
But that could change as the agency finds the ranks of local service providers thinning .
“ We ’ re frankly getting close to understanding what our system capacity is , ” said LAHSA ’ s interim Executive Director Heidi Marston .
“ Our big [ service ] providers are getting stretched .
That ’ s a very real concern .
Unless we can bring in more human capital to do this work , we ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity.
” Project Roomkey is largely funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency , which has vowed to reimburse the state and individual counties for 75 % of the cost of leasing hotel rooms and providing services .
Only homeless people who meet certain criteria , including being older than 65 and having health conditions that make them susceptible for dying of COVID-19 , qualify .
However , only rooms that are occupied are covered by FEMA under the program .
And while it ’ s unclear whether some counties are paying hotel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but haven ’ t filled , that is not happening in L.A. County .
The program ’ s goal of leasing 15,000 rooms would be enough to house about 10 % of California ’ s estimated homeless population — a figure that falls far short of the total number of homeless people in the state who are 65 or older or have chronic medical conditions such as heart disease or diabetes .
In Los Angeles County alone , officials have identified 15,000 people — a quarter of the county ’ s homeless population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criteria and set that as its goal .
As of Monday , the county had secured 3,245 rooms and moved guests into 2,102 .
Statewide data provided by Newsom ’ s office on Monday showed that two large Southern California counties have more trouble filling rooms .
San Diego has filled only about 20 % of the 2,029 rooms it has under lease , and Orange County just under 30 % of its 666 rooms .
A senior official with Newsom ’ s administration told The Times that the state was very proud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties have gotten homeless people into hotels and motels .
It ’ s an effort that took weeks and otherwise would ’ ve taken months or years .
This official said the state still wants to see counties moving faster to fill beds and bring people indoors .
The state data doesn ’ t specify how many of the leased rooms are for those in need of quarantine or isolation for COVID-19 , as opposed to those who are homeless .
Craig Sturak , a spokesman for the San Diego County Health Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , saying Friday that the county had about 1,700 rooms leased and 370 rooms occupied .
Many of the beds were secured before Project Roomkey began , he said , “ in anticipation of a large number of COVID-19 cases that would not require hospitalization but also would not be able to isolate at home.
” About 200 of the 370 rooms are for homeless people older than 65 with underlying health conditions , he said .
Sturak didn ’ t explain why so many beds that could be used to house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands remain on the streets , but said “ there are other resources and programs to serve homeless individuals who do not need the level of care provided at these rooms.
” The San Diego Convention Center , famous for hosting Comic-Con and other events , is housing nearly 1,200 homeless people during the pandemic .
Most were brought there from cramped shelters , where the virus is more likely to spread .
Joel Jon Roberts , chief executive of the statewide homeless services and housing development agency PATH , said that San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what might happen if there ’ s a sudden jump in coronavirus cases among the local homeless population .
According to the county ’ s federally mandated point-in-time count , 7,619 homeless people were living outdoors or in shelters as of January , a 6 % drop from the previous year .
“ My sense is that they are trying to keep rooms open in case of an outbreak , ” he said .
“ Nobody knows what the number could be .
Look at New York City and how bad it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to running shelters in San Diego , PATH is providing services at four leased hotels in Los Angeles County as well .
While it has been able to fill rooms quickly , in some cases , it has taken more than two weeks to get rooms ready after the leases are signed .
More than 600 unoccupied rooms are in hotels that are not yet ready to open — in some cases because former guests had yet to leave or in others because repairs were needed .
L.A. city and county negotiators have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near downtown , where the highest concentration of homeless people live on the streets in skid row .
Including several smaller hotels in the vicinity of downtown , there are enough rooms for less than 4 % of the area ’ s homeless population , according to a Times analysis .
But the owners of some small hotels and motels have complained of being shut out of the process .
LAHSA , which is responsible for operating the hotels , has asked negotiators to target properties of 100 rooms or more to ease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , security , healthcare and case management .
Echoing Steinberg , Roberts said his agency has had to scramble to find people with the proper training to help run the hotel shelters .
Still , he ’ s very pleased with how quickly they ’ ve gotten rooms up and running .
“ We can ’ t just , next week , hire 20 clinicians to do this kind of work , ” he said .
“ So we ’ re moving people from outreach and other contracts.
” At least two Southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filling hotel and motel rooms , though they both have much smaller homeless populations .
Riverside , which rented individual rooms rather than whole hotels , has secured 266 rooms and has filled them all — a number accounting for about 10 % of its homeless population .
Ventura County started working on rooms in mid-March and has among the state ’ s highest success rates .
Its 388 rooms are more than 80 % occupied .
Tara Carruth , manager of Ventura County ’ s homeless oversight agency , said hotel owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county provided staffing .
In total , the county identified about 350 people who met the age or health criteria for Project Roomkey — or about 27 % of its homeless population — and has leased enough rooms to accommodate that number and more .
Even as rooms eventually fill up , the impact of the statewide program will be hard to gauge , partly because of the duplicate goal of both L.A. County and the state to get 15,000 homeless people off the streets , and a lack of accurate population data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of leasing rooms and the limits on staffing for services will probably put the county ’ s goal out of reach , Marston said she ’ s not backing down .
There has been a lot of enthusiasm for Project Roomkey despite its shortcomings .
“ I do think there are ways of serving 15,000 people , ” Marston said .
“ We have built an amazing capacity .
Let ’ s keep building the capacity we have and turn the rooms over so we can serve more people .
”

Omar Spry of Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department pushes a cart of residents’ bags into a West L.A. hotel that has been turned into housing for homeless people during the coronavirus outbreak.
Only about half of the 15,000 hotel and motel rooms that California has leased for mostly homeless people to slow the spread of the coronavirus are now occupied, a review of state records by The Times shows.
More than a month into Gov. Gavin Newsom’s program to get homeless people off the streets, the occupied rooms account for — at most — less than 5% of the 151,000 people who sleep on street corners, under bridges and in emergency shelters across California.
As of Monday, 7,919 hotel rooms had guests and another 7,700 were vacant, according to figures released by Newsom’s office.
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The actual number of rooms leased for homeless people in the statewide program known as Project Roomkey could be even lower since Newsom’s goal also included rooms reserved for people, homeless or not, who needed to quarantine or isolate themselves because of the coronavirus.
What Newsom launched in early April as a coordinated effort to address homelessness during the pandemic has led to mixed results. But, in general, it has progressed so slowly that it has fallen short of many expectations and is unlikely to get most of those who need help indoors.
In some counties, the largest impediments have been delays in preparing leased rooms for occupancy, not, as the governor has complained, NIMBY interests at the local level. In other counties, it has been a shortage of staff to care for homeless residents, providing services, such as food services, security, nursing and case management.
“This has not been a challenge of leasing hotels,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who is co-chair of the state’s homelessness task force. “The challenge is much more in insufficient numbers of service providers to deal with a much larger capacity of people and a big question about rehousing.”
Under the program, county officials are responsible for determining how many rooms to set aside for homeless people. But the actual implementation of Project Roomkey is forcing officials from many counties to question how many homeless people “the program can bring in,” Steinberg said. That’s because there aren’t enough service providers to help run the hotels and eventually help transition the residents into permanent housing.
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Sacramento County is doing better than the state as a whole, with two-thirds of the 420 rooms it leased now filled. But because of the backlog of people waiting for a room, it has held off on signing leases for another 570 rooms, Steinberg said.
It’s a predicament that has not yet arisen in Los Angeles County, where the pace has been set by how fast negotiators have been able to sign leases with hotels and motels. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority has filled most rooms within two to three days of their availability. But that could change as the agency finds the ranks of local service providers thinning.
“We’re frankly getting close to understanding what our system capacity is,” said LAHSA’s interim Executive Director Heidi Marston. “Our big [service] providers are getting stretched. That’s a very real concern. Unless we can bring in more human capital to do this work, we’re going to have a hard time continuing to expand capacity.”
Project Roomkey is largely funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has vowed to reimburse the state and individual counties for 75% of the cost of leasing hotel rooms and providing services. Only homeless people who meet certain criteria, including being older than 65 and having health conditions that make them susceptible for dying of COVID-19, qualify.
However, only rooms that are occupied are covered by FEMA under the program. And while it’s unclear whether some counties are paying hotel owners for rooms that they have leased but haven’t filled, that is not happening in L.A. County.
The program’s goal of leasing 15,000 rooms would be enough to house about 10% of California’s estimated homeless population — a figure that falls far short of the total number of homeless people in the state who are 65 or older or have chronic medical conditions such as heart disease or diabetes.
In Los Angeles County alone, officials have identified 15,000 people — a quarter of the county’s homeless population — who meet the age or health criteria and set that as its goal. As of Monday, the county had secured 3,245 rooms and moved guests into 2,102.
On Wednesday, the San Diego Convention Center opened its doors as the city’s newest emergency homeless shelter. (City of San Diego)
Statewide data provided by Newsom’s office on Monday showed that two large Southern California counties have more trouble filling rooms. San Diego has filled only about 20% of the 2,029 rooms it has under lease, and Orange County just under 30% of its 666 rooms.
A senior official with Newsom’s administration told The Times that the state was very proud of the pace and scale at which counties have gotten homeless people into hotels and motels. It’s an effort that took weeks and otherwise would’ve taken months or years. This official said the state still wants to see counties moving faster to fill beds and bring people indoors.
The state data doesn’t specify how many of the leased rooms are for those in need of quarantine or isolation for COVID-19, as opposed to those who are homeless.
Craig Sturak, a spokesman for the San Diego County Health Department, gave slightly different numbers than the state, saying Friday that the county had about 1,700 rooms leased and 370 rooms occupied. Many of the beds were secured before Project Roomkey began, he said, “in anticipation of a large number of COVID-19 cases that would not require hospitalization but also would not be able to isolate at home.”
About 200 of the 370 rooms are for homeless people older than 65 with underlying health conditions, he said.
Sturak didn’t explain why so many beds that could be used to house homeless people are empty, even as thousands remain on the streets, but said “there are other resources and programs to serve homeless individuals who do not need the level of care provided at these rooms.”
The San Diego Convention Center, famous for hosting Comic-Con and other events, is housing nearly 1,200 homeless people during the pandemic. Most were brought there from cramped shelters, where the virus is more likely to spread.
Joel Jon Roberts, chief executive of the statewide homeless services and housing development agency PATH, said that San Diego’s leaders are well aware of what might happen if there’s a sudden jump in coronavirus cases among the local homeless population. According to the county’s federally mandated point-in-time count, 7,619 homeless people were living outdoors or in shelters as of January, a 6% drop from the previous year.
“My sense is that they are trying to keep rooms open in case of an outbreak,” he said. “Nobody knows what the number could be. Look at New York City and how bad it’s been there.”
In addition to running shelters in San Diego, PATH is providing services at four leased hotels in Los Angeles County as well. While it has been able to fill rooms quickly, in some cases, it has taken more than two weeks to get rooms ready after the leases are signed.
More than 600 unoccupied rooms are in hotels that are not yet ready to open — in some cases because former guests had yet to leave or in others because repairs were needed.
L.A. city and county negotiators have struggled to strike deals with large hotels near downtown, where the highest concentration of homeless people live on the streets in skid row. Including several smaller hotels in the vicinity of downtown, there are enough rooms for less than 4% of the area’s homeless population, according to a Times analysis.
But the owners of some small hotels and motels have complained of being shut out of the process. LAHSA, which is responsible for operating the hotels, has asked negotiators to target properties of 100 rooms or more to ease the logistics of contracting for food service, security, healthcare and case management.
Echoing Steinberg, Roberts said his agency has had to scramble to find people with the proper training to help run the hotel shelters. Still, he’s very pleased with how quickly they’ve gotten rooms up and running.
“We can’t just, next week, hire 20 clinicians to do this kind of work,” he said. “So we’re moving people from outreach and other contracts.”
At least two Southern California counties have outpaced Los Angeles in filling hotel and motel rooms, though they both have much smaller homeless populations.
Riverside, which rented individual rooms rather than whole hotels, has secured 266 rooms and has filled them all — a number accounting for about 10% of its homeless population. Ventura County started working on rooms in mid-March and has among the state’s highest success rates. Its 388 rooms are more than 80% occupied.
Tara Carruth, manager of Ventura County’s homeless oversight agency, said hotel owners were eager to lease rooms and the county provided staffing. In total, the county identified about 350 people who met the age or health criteria for Project Roomkey — or about 27% of its homeless population — and has leased enough rooms to accommodate that number and more.
Even as rooms eventually fill up, the impact of the statewide program will be hard to gauge, partly because of the duplicate goal of both L.A. County and the state to get 15,000 homeless people off the streets, and a lack of accurate population data for comparison.
Acknowledging that the pace of leasing rooms and the limits on staffing for services will probably put the county’s goal out of reach, Marston said she’s not backing down. There has been a lot of enthusiasm for Project Roomkey despite its shortcomings.
“I do think there are ways of serving 15,000 people,” Marston said. “We have built an amazing capacity. Let’s keep building the capacity we have and turn the rooms over so we can serve more people.”