Addressing the Urgent Housing Needs of Vulnerable Women in the Era of COVID-19: The Los Angeles County Experience

Abstract

For people experiencing homelessness, COVID-19 underscores existing health and social inequities, introduces additional threats to health and safety, and calls for rapid and creative solutions to reduce risk. This column focuses on the particular challenges of two frequently intersecting subpopulations of individuals experiencing homelessness: pregnant women and survivors of domestic violence. The authors describe rapid efforts and cross-agency collaboration in Los Angeles-home to the nation's largest number of unsheltered individuals-to provide these groups with safe interim housing in the context of COVID-19. The authors discuss gaps in care and recommendations for the future, calling attention to the unique mental health and social needs of these highly vulnerable women.