Studio City NC To Discuss Project Roomkey at Sportsmen's Lodge

The Studio City Neighborhood Council will host a virtual discussion on Thursday about the Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel's participation in Project Roomkey. Ben Besley, owner of the Sportmen's Lodge, and Kris Freed, the Chief Programs Officer of Los Angeles Family Housing, will illuminate the process behind Project Roomkey and discuss how the program has fared.

Project Roomkey was launched on April 3 by Governor Newsom to protect people affected by homelessness from the coronavirus. Currently, 148 rooms at Sportsmen's Lodge are occupied by people experiencing homelessness who are at extreme risk to COVID-19.

Los Angeles County made a bold promise to secure 15,000 rooms, but has been hampered by resident pushback and lack of service providers. In one highly publicized gaffe, Covina residents protested the use of Vanllee hotel as a Project Roomkey site, arguing the influx of people experiencing homelessness would endanger local residents and families.

Days later, authorities arrested three people at the hotel on suspicion of narcotics possession. By the next week, Vanllee had pulled out of Project Roomkey.

Despite this, advocates and city officials are sticking with the plan and stress the urgent need for housing during a pandemic that preys on close social interaction.

“We have people’s lives in our hands. It’s a matter of life or death,”said Heidi Marston, interim Executive Direcror of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. “That is a different priority than we’ve seen in the past.”

Studio City Neighborhood Council's meeting will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday afternoon. Interested community members can access the meeting here.