SYLMAR, Calif. — Receiving a COVID-19 test is just one of the steps Maia Adelman had to take in order to move into temporary housing that just opened for women in Sylmar called the Arroyo.
“I’ve been homeless since like the end of March, right when they started knowing what was going. [I] wasn’t able to work, and EDD didn’t come through,” says Adelman.
It was the first time the 51-year-old Adelman had been homeless in her life. She had been renting a room in Santa Clarita and was unable to pay her rent. Then she moved into a camper when representatives from LA Family housing came knocking on her door.
"We opened it up, and they offered us some food. My friend was hungry, and I was hungry," said Adelman.
The Arroyo has a capacity for 85-women but due to COVID-19, not all beds are being used in order to give the occupants plenty of space. There are also rules about wearing masks and sanitizing stations throughout the facility.
Interim housing director for L.A. family housing, Kelsey Madigan said, “If someone does test positive then we have an area where we quarantine them until we’re able to take them to one of our Q&I sites.”
The organization’s Q&I site or quarantine and isolation site is located in Sherman Oaks.
Adelman said being here and the precautions being taken make her feel safe. She is hoping her experience will inspire others to help or at least have an open mind when they meet someone experiencing homelessness.
“I’ve definitely learned from this experience, and been humbled by this experience, and [I] won’t be so judgemental, that’s for darn sure,” said Adelman.
While she is happy to have temporary housing, she also hopes it will be a step into finding a place to permanently call home.