The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of housing and homelessness services as public health infrastructure. To understand how different communities across the United States adapted their homelessness responses during the pandemic to keep people safe and housed, we explored the steps taken in six places. This case study summarizes the response in San Jose and Santa Clara, California which focused on creating safety for people experiencing homelessness who were particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 through the use of hotels and motels. The City and County also worked with nonprofit partner Destination Home and 70 other community-based nonprofits to distribute emergency cash and rent assistance to prevent homelessness and evictions.