April 15, 2020
UPDATE REGARDING THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS ("COVID-19"):
A Message From The Supervisor:
As our City is coping with the effects of the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19"), I wanted to let each of you know that my office is working hard to stay up-to-date on all fronts so that you all can be informed of what is happening locally, statewide, and nationally. Lastly, please don't hesitate to email us at SafaiStaff@sfgov.org or call us at 1-415-554-6976 and we will immediately respond.
Thank you all for your time, cooperation, and perseverance -- we will all get through this!
Sincerely,
Supervisor Ahsha Safai
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California Governor Newsom Announces A 6-Point Plan ("Roadmap") To Begin Lifting California's Stay-At-Home Order:
On Tuesday, April 14, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced his 6-point plan that must be met for his March 19, 2020 stay-at-home order to be lifted. Below, a summary of those six key prerequisites.
The 6 goals are:
(1) We must have the ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed.
(2) We must have the ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19.
(3) Hospital and health systems must have the ability to handle surges.
(4) We must have the ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand.
(5) Businesses, schools, and child care facilities must have the ability to support physical distancing.
(6) We must have the ability to determine when to re-institute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders if necessary.
Link to Governor Newsom's 6-point roadmap to lifting the statewide stay-at-home order:
https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/California-Roadmap-to-Modify-the-Stay-at-Home-Order.pdf
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California Governor Gavin Newsom Announces The Creation Of The Western States Pact To Regionally Combat COVID-19:
On Monday, April 13, 2020, California Governor Newsom announced the creation of the Western State Pacts, which is comprised of the following West Coast states/region: California, Oregon, and Washington.
What is the goal or purpose?
Governors Newsom (California), Kate Brown (Oregon), and Jay Inslee (Washington) noted that the goal is to "ac[t] in close coordination ... collaboration ... and work together on a shared approach for reopening the economies" of the West Coast.
Specifically, the Governors noted that although each state is building a state-specific plan they all had agreed to the following principles as the Governors build out a West Coast framework:
(1) Residents' health comes first.
(2) Health outcomes will guide the Governors' decisions.
(3) Our region will only be effective by working together -- each state will work with local leaders and communities within its borders to understand what's happening on the ground and adhere to the agreed upon approach.
Link to California Governor Newsom's announcement of the Western States Pact can be found here:
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/04/13/california-oregon-washington-announce-western-states-pact/
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San Francisco Board Of Supervisors Unanimously Votes To Acquire More Hotel Rooms For Our Unsheltered Population:
On Tuesday, April 14, 2020, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved legislation that would require the City to procure 8,250 hotel rooms by April 26 with 7,000 of those to be designated for the homeless population, another 500 rooms for discharged or diverted hospital patients who need a place to quarantine, and 750 rooms for front-line workers.
Link to the legislative documents for your convenience:
https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8245030&GUID=59F2BF5B-12FB-4E6D-A385-9054CB849973
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San Francisco 2020 Pride Has Been Cancelled:
On Tuesday, April 14, 2020, the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee announced that both the 2020 parade and celebration have been cancelled due to COVID-19.
This is unfortunate -- this would have been the 50th anniversary of our local pride -- but necessary so that we can flatten the curve.
Link to the official announcement:
http://www.sfpride.org/ |
San Francisco Has Cancelled This Year's 4/20 Celebration And People Who Fail To Comply WILL Be Cited:
On Monday, April 13, 2020, Mayor London Breed announced that there will be no "4/20", a popular and unofficial holiday that takes place annually every 20th of April for cannabis consumers who celebrate by gathering in large groups and ingesting and smoking cannabis, celebration this year in San Francisco.
Mayor London Breed also announced that popular "hot spots", such as the Golden Gate Park, colloquially dubbed "Hippie Hill", will be fenced off and police officers will be actively patrolling certain areas and will be citing people who disobey the stay-at-home order.
To learn more about this cancellation, please click here:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/04/13/coronavirus-san-francisco-cancels-popular-4-20-celebration-violators-will-be-cited/
Refresher: On November 2016, Californians approved Proposition 64 which legalized medicinal and recreational cannabis. To learn more about Proposition 64 please click here:
https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_64,_Marijuana_Legalization_(2016)
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Supervisor Safai Introduced Legislation Encouraging San Francisco To Be More Vigilant And Take Strong Action To Prevent Child Abuse During This COVID-19 Pandemic:
Yesterday, Supervisor Safai introduced a resolution encouraging San Francisco to take strong action to prevent child abuse and adopt policies to protect our children during the COVID-19 crisis. Yesterday, Governor Newsom announced a $42-million investment to protect our most vulnerable children against abuse, and Supervisor Safai is also calling on all leaders to work together and make a commitment to create more resources for families now!
Supervisor Safai does not want to emerge from this crisis to discover a loss of life or irreparable damage because we didn’t do enough.
The proposals outlined in the resolution include:
- Expanding capacity and language supports for the 24-Hour Parental Stress Support Line
- Providing additional virtual support groups for caregivers in various languages working in partnership with community based organizations
- Allocating additional funds during shelter-in-place order to allow organizations dealing with abuse prevention the ability to hire more staff to provide more frequent virtual support for families during crisis
- Safely provide respite care for caregivers experiencing severe stress
- Continual funding for Family Resources Centers
Supervisor Safai would like to thank Joan Miller from the Human Services Agency, Mario Paz from Good Samaritan, Estela Garcia from Instituto Familiar de la Raza, Sonia Melara from Rally Family Visitation Services and Jenny Pearlman from Safe and Sound for helping inform this resolution and for sharing their ideas on how to best support our children.
Supervisor Safai looks forward to working with his colleagues, the community, and City leadership to put this vision into reality as quickly as possible for our children.
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REMINDER: The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention Recommends Everyone Use A Face-Cloth Covering When Out In Public To Help Slow The Spread Of COVID-19:
On April 3, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that it recommends everyone wear cloth-face coverings while out in the public.
The CDC also advises the use of simple cloth- face coverings as a smart health measure to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
You DO NOT have to wear surgical masks or N-95 respirators -- those are critical supplies that must be reserved for healthcare workers and other essential employees. Below, please find a link to the CDC's current guidelines for making (and cleaning) your own cloth- face covering with corresponding instructions on how to appropriately wear the cloth-face covering.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html |
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Halt On All Evictions Throughout All Of California Effective Immediately – Whether Or Not Related To COVID-19 Pandemic -- Approved by California’s Judicial Council (California Court Leaders):
On April 6, 2020, California’s Judicial Council met and adopted eleven (11) emergency court rules and two of those effectively stop all evictions against renters. In ruling that eviction orders “threaten to remove people from the very homes they have been instructed to remain in” the action halts legal procedures used by property owners to initiate and enforce evictions.
So, what does this mean? It means that this rule is applicable to all courts and all evictions cases, whether they are based on a tenant’s missed rent payment or another reason (related to COVID-19 or not). The new court order will apply until 90 days after California Governor lifts the state of emergency related to COVID-19 pandemic OR until it is amended by the Judicial Council (i.e., as of now, it’s July 2020).
The Emergency Rules (1-2) regarding evictions:
- Prohibits a court from issuing a summons after a landlord files an eviction case, unless necessary to protect public health and safety. This means that, even if a landlord files an eviction case, the tenant will not be under the normal five-day deadline to respond. The time for the tenant to respond to a new eviction case will not begin until the rule is lifted, giving them time to seek out legal assistance and assuring that no tenant’s right to tell their side of the story in court is denied due to the emergency.
- Prohibits a court from entering an automatic default judgment against the tenant because the tenant failed to file a response, unless the court finds:
- The eviction is necessary to protect public health and safety; and
- The tenant failed to respond in the time required by law, including any extension that may apply due to the Governor’s Executive Order regarding evictions during the COVID19 emergency.
- For eviction cases where the tenant has responded or appeared, prohibits a court from setting the case for trial earlier than 60 days after a trial is requested, unless necessary to protect public health and safety.
- Requires any trial in an eviction case that was already scheduled as of April to be postponed until at least 60 days after the initial trial date.
In addition, Judicial Council adopted an emergency rule related to foreclosures (Emergency Rules 1-2).
These rules also applies until 90 days after the Governor lifts the COVID-19 state of emergency. The rules:
- Prohibits a court from taking any action or issuing any decisions or judgments unless necessary for public health and safety.
- Postpones any legal deadlines for filing foreclosure cases.
- Extends the period for exercising any rights in a foreclosure case, including any right of redemption from a foreclosure sale, or petitioning the court in relation to such a right.
Link to the 11 Emergency Rules adopted by the California Judicial Council on April 6, 2020:
https://jcc.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8234474&GUID=79611543-6A40-465C-8B8B-D324F5CAE349
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NEW CITY PROGRAM: San Francisco Hardship Emergency Loan Program (SF Help)
The City’s new San Francisco Hardship Emergency Loan Program (SF HELP) will rapidly deploy loans up to $50,000 at 0% interest. Funds can be used to pay payroll, rent, utilities, inventory and more. The loan will have a flexible repayment schedule, with terms determined on a case-by-case basis, based on each borrower’s ability to repay.
Eligibility (7 requirements):
- Be a for-profit existing business located in SF (SF address) and in good standing
- Have total annual revenues under $2.5M
- Have a valid San Francisco Business License
- Be free of any city/county tax liens or judgments
- Have a business bank account
- Demonstrate a 25% drop in revenues since January 1, 2020
- Have 3 years remaining on lease
Loan Details:
- Up to $50,000
- 0% interest
- Up to 6-year terms
- No Fees
- No Collateral
Eligible Loan Uses Include (But Not Limited To):
- Working Capital (e.g., rent, utilities, payroll, supplies, etc.)
- Equipment
- Inventory
For more information, please click here:
https://mainstreetlaunch.org/contact-us/
To apply, please click here:
https://mainstreetlaunch.org/about-us/loan-inquiry/
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San Francisco Launches Text 9-1-1 Service:
Mayor London N. Breed and Department of Emergency Management Executive Director Mary Ellen Carroll announced a critical tool to help people who cannot safely call 9-1-1 during the COVID-19 Stay Home Order and beyond. Text to 9-1-1 is now available in San Francisco and provides a life-saving option for people in situations, including domestic violence, where it is too dangerous to dial 9-1-1.
San Francisco’s Text to 9-1-1 service is intended primarily for use in three emergency scenarios:
- When someone is in a situation where it is not safe to place a voice call to 9-1-1;
- When an individual is deaf, hard-of-hearing, or has a speech disability; and
- When a medical emergency arises that renders the person incapable of speaking.
In general, people with police, fire or medical emergencies should call 9-1-1 if they can and text 9-1-1 if they cannot. San Francisco public safety dispatchers are trained to receive emergency calls and text messages from their workstations. When texting 9-1-1 the initial message should be short and include the location of the emergency. The person texting should also ask for police, fire or medical assistance. The next step is to answer the dispatcher’s questions and follow the instructions of the public safety dispatcher. People are advised to keep responses and short and simple.
As San Franciscans follow the Stay Home Order to disrupt the spread of COVID-19, the City has seen greater percentage of emergency calls related to domestic violence. Since the March 16 stay home order, 9-1-1 calls have decreased by 24% while number of domestic violence calls has remained constant. From March 17 to April 8, 2019, San Francisco had 44,461 emergency calls with 459 related to domestic violence. During the same period in 2020, San Francisco had 33,875 emergency calls with 448 related to domestic violence.
Domestic violence is a crime and people experiencing domestic violence should call 9-1-1 if they can and text 9-1-1 if they cannot. The following resources are also available for people experiencing domestic violence in San Francisco:
Asian Women’s Shelter – 24 Hour Crisis Line
877-751-0880
San Francisco District Attorney Victims Services
415-553-9044
La Case de las Madres – 24 Hour Crisis Line
877-503-1850 (adults)
877-923-0700 (teens)
415-200-3575 (text)
Riley Center at the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco - 24 Hour Crisis Line
415-225-0165
W.O.M.A.N., Inc. 24 Hour Crisis Line
877-384-3578
415-864-4722
Cooperative Restraining Order Clinic
415-255-0165 (Schedule Appointment) |
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The City And County Of San Francisco Launches The COVID-19 Data Tracker:
On Tuesday, April 7, 2020, Mayor London N. Breed and the San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH) released a COVID-19 Data Tracker to provide the public with more frequently updated information about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in San Francisco.
This information will be updated on a daily basis and will include data about, inter alia, testing, hospitalization, and confirmed cases.
To read Mayor London Breed's announcement regarding the COVID-19 Data Tracker, please click here:
https://sfmayor.org/article/mayor-london-breed-announces-new-covid-19-data-tracker
To access the COVID-19 tracker on a daily basis, please click here:
https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/coronavirus.asp
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HOW TO DONATE AND/OR VOLUNTEER AS WE COMBAT COVID-19 IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO
TO DONATE:
All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law, the City and County of San Francisco's Tax ID number is 94-6000417.
Why donate? Donations will directly support:
- Critical facilities and supplies needed to protect the health of all San Franciscans in the face of COVID-19.
- Taking care of our most medically and economically vulnerable neighbors, including individuals who must isolate per public health guidance and those facing economic hardship or a housing crisis related to COVID-19.
- Local businesses and nonprofits that are not only significant contributors to the economy, they are valued parts of our neighborhoods. Support will help businesses weather temporary closures or reduced demand due to the public health crisis.
To learn more about the many ways you can donate, please click here:
https://sf.gov/give-city-respond-covid-19
TO VOLUNTEER: CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO & SHANTI PROJECT'S COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE (CERV) PROGRAM:
The Emergency Response Volunteer Program was created in partnership between the City of San Francisco's Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) and Shanti Project.
Examples of Support:
- Grocery shopping
- Dog Walking
- Delivery of pet food, medication, and other essentials
- Mail pickup
Volunteer Requirements:
- Volunteers must be in good health and under the age of 60
- Volunteers are required to pass a background check
- Volunteers are required to follow San Francisco Coronavirus protocol
If you are interested, please email helpnow@shanti.org or call 415-674-4701 and leave a voicemail expressing your interest.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.shanti.org/volunteer/sf-covid-19-emergency-response-volunteer-program/ |
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SHOP LOCAL
During this challenging time the one thing that is certain is that you, our neighbors, community support agencies and small businesses alike need to prioritize their health and safety. Yet there are still ways to support. We might be "sheltered in places" but please consider how you can spend your dollars and invest in our neighborhood businesses who have given their time, money and dreams to provides the services and amazing goods that define our home!
Please visit website for downloadable PDF here: http://www.eagsf.org/excelsior-open-for-business.html
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San Francisco Property Tax Services – The Deadline To Pay Your Taxes Was EXTENDED From April 10, 2020 to May 4, 2020 And If You Can't Pay You Can Apply For a Penalty Waiver:
On April 10, 2020, San Francisco’s homeowners know that property taxes are normally due, however the Board of Supervisor and the Treasurer & Tax Collector extended the deadline to May 4, 2020.
San Francisco’s Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector urges everyone to please pay on time, but if you can’t pay on time and meet the May 4 deadline for reasons related to the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) you should submit a request for a penalty waiver online.
To apply for a Penalty Waiver, please click here:
https://sftreasurer.org/business/manage-your-business/penalty-waiver-refund-request
Please note, that currently City Hall is closed to the public and, therefore, not accepting in-person payments. To make a property tax payment you must pay by US mail or online, to pay online please click here:
https://sftreasurer.org/property/make-property-tax-payment
If you have any questions, please call 3-1-1 or visit the Treasurer & Tax Collector's website here:
https://sftreasurer.org/property-tax-deadline-frequently-asked-questions
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