National Health Foundation (NHF), Providence Southern California, and the St. Joseph Community Partnership Fund will further expand their collaboration by building an innovative model of care and community health collaborative benefitting older adults experiencing homelessness in the Arleta. The project will center around NHF’s upcoming Project Homekey site in Arleta, a 43,000 sq. ft. facility that will provide temporary, specialized housing and social services to unhoused older adults, ages 55+.
Funding to support the project was provided by the St. Joseph Community Partnership Fund, Providence’s strategic grant making foundation. National Health Foundation will spearhead the project, building contractual partnerships with key community-based organizations that will lay the groundwork for onsite initiatives, including 1) designing a medical and behavioral health clinic; (2) conducting a community-participatory environmental assessment of the Arleta neighborhood; and 3) building a congregate meal site catered to older adults.
For over a decade, National Health Foundation has provided recuperative care services in Los Angeles and Ventura counties for individuals experiencing homelessness following their discharge from the hospital. In Arleta, with substantial support from its representative Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez, NHF will tailor its Project Homekey to the complex needs of aging adults who have been living on the streets. The renovation of the facility is expected to be completed in the fall of 2022.
“Providence’s support will allow us to explore solutions with local health experts and community organizations to build Los Angeles’s first care program that comprehensively addresses the specialized health needs of older adults experiencing homelessness,” said Kelly Bruno, President and CEO of National Health Foundation. “Our collaboration will create new opportunities to achieve better health for older adults and at-risk communities in and around Los Angeles City Council District 6.”
Older adults are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population, with a 20% increase since 2017. Of those, 81% are unsheltered, living in their car, van, camper, tent or makeshift shelter. The need for immediate, but purposeful, housing solutions will only continue to grow in the coming years.
“We are excited to be working with National Health Foundation on this innovative project to make a positive difference in the lives of older adults. We are grateful for the expertise of NHF as we embark together on this exploration of how to address this emerging crisis of aged homelessness.” Gabriela Robles, Chief Executive of the St. Joseph Community Partnership Fund.
