Protecting the Homeless

1. Protecting the Homeless Protecting the most vulnerable populations of California is a major priority for Dr. Faustino Bernadett, a retired Long Beach CA physician. Since COVID-19 hit, he has been taking steps to aid, support, and advise area medical professionals, NGOs, community organizations and government entities who are working on the front lines of the COVID-19 containment effort. He is doing so in a volunteer capacity only, but his efforts are far reaching. One area in particular that he is dedicated to is the area’s homeless population, especially in light of the fact that the homeless are more vulnerable to the coronavirus. To help get them off the streets and into suitable housing where social distancing is more possible, hotel rooms have been made available thanks to his input. Rooms for the Homeless The problems and challenges faced by the City of Long Beach to address disease transmission among the homeless is a big concern for Dr. Bernadett. In the last few months, he and his wife helped the city to identify hotel rooms in the city that could be used for housing. They assisted in developing guidance for a discussion around how to address longer term needs in this area. This is part of a larger initiative for the city’s Planning Commission which is looking to create a program to convert motels into temporary housing for homeless people. Last year, volunteers counted nearly 2,000 people who were homeless in Long Beach during the annual tally. The city requires 20,000 more housing units just to address the overcrowding currently in existence. The voluntary program would allow motel owners in the city to partner with homeless services providers to convert their properties into facilities for the community. Project Roomkey Dr. Bernadett is also involved in Project Roomkey, a joint program of the state, county and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that places homeless in

2. hotels during the crisis. The goal is to help people who don’t have a home to stay inside, thus preventing further spread of COVID-19. Project Roomkey vows to protect high-risk individuals, as well as to prevent the spread of the deadly virus and protect the capacity of the surrounding hospitals and healthcare systems. Hotel rooms will offer temporary housing for homeless people who are not COVID-19 positive or symptomatic, but are still vulnerable to complications if they were to become infected. Dr. Bernadett, even in retirement, brings a long and selfless history of volunteerism, charity, and philanthropy to the table, especially when it comes to vulnerable populations like homeless and underprivileged children. In the last few decades, he has worked with dozens of charitable boards and has donated countless hours of his time to charitable causes. Today, in light of the coronavirus pandemic threat, Dr. Bernadett is working as a volunteer to counteract the economic impacts of the virus, relying on his experience and expertise in problem solving, planning and advising. If you would like to read more about Dr. Faustino Bernadett’s efforts in Long Beach to aid the homeless during COVID-19, please visit https://www.bernadett.org/