LOST ANGELES: NONPROFIT WORK WITH SKID ROW'S UNHOUSED COMMUNITY DURING COVID-19

This paper explores how local, state, and federal governance during the COVID-19 global pandemic has affected the capacity of nonprofit organizations to assist the unhoused community of Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles. The COVID-19 pandemic initially presented severe challenges for nonprofit organizations, such as dealing with an economic downturn, understaffing, and limited access to personal protective equipment (PPE). As such, this paper seeks to understand Skid Row nonprofit workers’ perspectives regarding the public sector’s response to COVID-19. Findings show that most organizational representatives interviewed believe the public sector did not provide enough aid to Skid Row’s unhoused community during the pandemic. At the same time, the majority of representatives interviewed recognized the local, state, and federal government’s efforts and believe they handled the pandemic adequately overall. Nevertheless, interview participants suggested that, to truly aid the unhoused community, the public and nonprofit sectors must build stronger partnerships and enact policies to increase enrollment in long-term, supportive housing with no stipulations for entry or continued residence. Ultimately, this research brings to light the complexities of public policy and how funding initiatives, such as Project Homekey and the Housing First model, can be utilized to mitigate houselessness