FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Tens of thousands of homeless have been staying in hotels across the U.S. paid for by federal programs aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19. But as hotels re-open to tourists and federal pandemic funding wanes, many are facing uncertainty as the hotel programs end.
Many emergency shelters are already full or near capacity. In one Vermont community, social workers are offering camping equipment to homeless residents who are no longer eligible for a motel at the end of the month.
Billions of additional federal dollars to secure housing for the homeless have been approved, but experts warn there will likely be a lag.
