The public health crisis engendered by the COVID-19 pandemic fueled unprecedented efforts to address the risk of infection and transmission among vulnerable populations, including the provision of non-congregate housing to people experiencing homelessness. The expedited implementation of housing services also addressed one of the oldest and most entrenched contributors to health disparities—lack of safe and stable housing.

In this unique moment, researchers had the opportunity to examine whether the swift provision of housing at the community level mitigated the impact of COVID-19 and how it affected individual, social, and structural factors contributing to the consequences of COVID-19.

The project utilized a mixed-methods study of Operation Safer Ground (OSG), a community-level intervention deployed to stem COVID-19 infection among people experiencing homelessness in Alameda County, CA. Initiated in April 2020, OSG provided long-term housing to homeless individuals who were vulnerable to COVID-19 infection due to age (over 65 years) or chronic illness. More than 1,000 people, roughly 10% of the county’s homeless population, entered OSG.

By pursuing this unique opportunity, the project generated valuable knowledge to help improve the long-term response to the pandemic and to prepare more effectively to protect the health of vulnerable populations in future public health crises.