WATCH: Gov. Newsom Says 14K Homeless Housed During Coronavirus

CALIFORNIA— Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that the state has housed roughly 14,200 homeless residents across the state since April in leased hotel and motel rooms through a partnership with the federal government.

Standing outside a motel in the Contra Costa County city of Pittsburg, Newsom outlined the progress the state has made with Project Roomkey, which launched in April with a goal of finding shelter for homeless residents during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. To date, the state has procured 15,679 rooms, Newsom said.

The program has allowed state officials and local governments to identify vacant hotel and motel rooms during the pandemic that can be used to house homeless residents. The Federal Emergency Management Agency then reimburses the expenses required to procure the unused rooms as well as meal, custodial and security services.

"The state identifies the asset, provides the capacity to get reimbursed from the federal government and get support from the state of California," Newsom said of the program's localism. "But at the end of the day, this program doesn't work without outstanding local officials."

Newsom said most of the 131 rooms in the motel he stood in front of have been filled with 164 tenants who are now receiving three meals a day and other supportive services.

Newsom also touted the state's budget for fiscal year 2021, which he signed Monday, for its support for homeless services across the state in spite of tax revenue shortages due to the pandemic.

The budget includes $1.3 billion in funding to expand Project Roomkey and similar programs like it. The state has also secured philanthropic commitments of roughly $45 million for supportive services through the program.

"Despite the deficit, despite the headwinds of stress that we had to address in balancing our budget, we still made a commitment to lean forward, lean in the future, follow through on our commitment to do more and do better for homeless Californians," Newsom said.

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