Preventing Homelessness During COVID-19

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A single mother of three children in Chino Hills, California was struggling to pay rent. She lost her job due to COVID-19, and was relying on her son’s SSI benefits to keep her family afloat. Caring for her son with autism and helping her children with remote learning made it difficult for her to find new employment. After applying for unemployment benefits and not receiving assistance, she feared she and her children would lose their home. She turned to LifeSTEPS for help, who provided critical intervention and rental assistance until she could get back on track. She now has a new job, and the family is back on its feet.

March marks one year since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of the crisis, LifeSTEPS has provided more than $550,000 to keep struggling individuals, families and seniors across California from losing their housing. By helping residents stay positively focused on solutions to problems, such as falling behind on rent, LifeSTEPS helped prevent homeless, minimize anxiety in the household and help our residents stay out to debt during an unpredictable climate.

Low-income housing communities have been hit hard by COVID-19. At LifeSTEPS, we’re thrilled by the success of our rental assistance program and intervention tactics and we’re proud that we helped residents find stability and security during these challenging times. Rental assistance helps keep residents safe and in their homes, allows our residents to focus on finding employment, budgeting, helping with children’s school work and most importantly, feeling like there was hope.

LifeSTEPS teams with CVS Long-Term Care program to vaccinate 93 LifeSTEPS residents and staff

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Over the weekend, 93 LifeSTEPS residents and staff received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Hollenbeck Terrace and Broadway Villas, two affordable housing communities with permanent supportive housing services located in Los Angeles.  Three weeks ago, LifeSTEPS staff and residents received their first dose as part of the CVS Long-Term Care vaccination program.  We are thrilled to report that we had a 100 percent return rate, meaning everyone who had their first vaccine returned for their second dose three weeks later!

Residents expressed their gratitude and thanks to LifeSTEPS for holding clinics steps away from their apartments. One Broadway Villas resident, who was formerly homeless and now receives LifeSTEPS Intensive Case Management with the DHS Housing for Health Program, let us know that he has COPD and autoimmune disorders, and is especially relieved to have been vaccinated. This resident, like so many others, hadn’t been able to schedule an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine through his health care provider, despite many efforts.

LifeSTEPS will continue to work with our partners to ensure that affordable housing communities are prioritized for the COVID-19 vaccine and have access to the vaccine through on-site or nearby vaccination clinics. We are committed to taking care of our residents and team and supporting each other to stay healthy.

Assembly Member Nazarian introduces Housing Plus Services, Nursing Pilot Program bill

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At LifeSTEPS, we are thrilled that Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian recently introduced AB 1083, also called the Housing Plus Services, Nursing Pilot Program. This legislation will bring health care and social services directly to residents in their apartments, and help residents to live independently for as long as possible in their own homes.

RN coaches will work onsite with affordable housing residents in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento and Sonoma Counties in an effort to manage and improve their overall health. The RN coaches will help residents navigate complex healthcare systems and create smooth and safe transitions home from a hospital or rehab facility. Additionally, the RN coaches will assist older adults with medication management, monitoring vital signs, creating health care plans and much more.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted older adults more than any other age group and has demonstrated that keeping older adults, especially those with chronic conditions and high frailty levels, in their homes and out of the hospital. Passage of AB 1083 will bring critical health care and social services to residents where they live, leading to healthier residents and healthier communities.

We Are Diverse and We Are One

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