spread over multiple rooms may require higher funding levels per bed, mainly due to increased staffing costs.

Moving forward, if the City were considering making changes to its shelter service delivery models, it should consider the following when assessing whether to continue to use motels versus using dedicated shelter facilities from a financial perspective. Motels may be a more or less expensive option than a dedicated shelter facility, depending on the circumstances. In particular, it depends on:

• Whether a third-party service provider is able to provide an existing facility or the portion of capital costs of a new facility that are covered by other government funding or fundraising

• If the City continues to provide overflow shelter in motels even with a dedicated shelter facility

• How closely the number of beds in a dedicated shelter facility aligns with demand.

Hotels have the advantages of being able to flex to changes in demand and provide a non-congregate shelter option, which may protect people from contracting or spreading viruses, such as COVID-19. However, food costs are likely to be higher when food is not able to be prepared/provided on site, which may, depending on the circumstances discussed above, result a more expensive option for shelter.