The use of hotels/motels to address homelessness among veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons from the supportive services for veteran families program

The objective of this exploratory mixed methods study is to assess the use of hotels/motels among Veterans experiencing housing instability during the COVID-19 pandemic to inform policy and programmatic responses to homelessness during such emergencies. We analyzed qualitative interviews conducted with national-level homeless services leadership and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program providers during October 2020-May 2021 and quantitative data for Veterans who enrolled in SSVF during March-August 2020. A multivariable two-part regression model identified factors associated with receiving hotel/motel-specific financial assistance and associated costs. Qualitative interviews indicated that the use of hotels/motels during COVID-19 offered protection from a contagious disease and a novel mechanism to accommodate high-need Veterans who may have previously been unsheltered or resistant to services. Quantitative analyses found that Veteran households' stays in hotels/motels increased sharply following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; this assistance tended to flow to a more vulnerable group (i.e. older, no income, and extensive histories of homelessness). COVID-19 and homelessness are ongoing public health concerns; strategies such as the use of hotels/motels to reduce homelessness and ensure safe options for isolation and quarantine are needed to prevent poor health outcomes for a vulnerable population.