May 11, 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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New Deadline For Property Taxes: May 15, 2020:
On April 10, 2020, San Francisco’s homeowners know that property taxes are normally due, however the Board of Supervisors, once again, extended the deadline from May 4 to May 15, 2020. The legislation was introduced by Board President Norman Yee and the primary co-sponsor was Supervisor Safai. We hope this provides a bit of relief to all San Franciscans as we continue to fight this pandemic, more information below.
San Francisco’s Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector urges everyone to please pay on time, but if you can’t pay on time or can't the May 15 deadline for reasons related to the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) you should submit a request for a penalty waiver online AFTER the May 15, 2020 deadline.
Please note, the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector will be TEMPORARILY OPEN ONLY FOR PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS --NOT ANY OTHER BUSINESS -- ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:
Wednesday, May 13, 2020: 9AM to 4PM
Thursday, May 14, 2020: 9AM to 4PM
Friday, May 15, 2020: 9AM to 5PM
*ENTER AT CITY HALL'S GROVE STREET ENTRY
To apply for a Penalty Waiver, ONLY AFTER THE MAY 15, 2020 deadline, please click here:
https://sftreasurer.org/business/manage-your-business/penalty-waiver-refund-request
Please note, except for the above-noted dates and times and only for property taxes, currently, City Hall is still 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/covid19
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 |
California Governor Gavin Newsom Announces Vote-By Mail For This November 2020 Election Due To COVID-19:
On Friday, May 8, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California will issue a mail-in ballot to every registered voter for this November's election. This directive was accomplished via Executive Order and in coordination with other California officials.
The Executive Order requires that all county election officials provide mail-in ballots to all voters, please note that there are exceptions. The Executive Order does contain provisions for in-person voting stations for Californians who are unsheltered and therefore have no home address, or who need voting materials in a language other than English, or for Californians with disabilities.
Currently, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, and Hawaii use vote-by-mail as their primary method of voting, and now so will California!
If you would like to read Governor Newsom's Executive Order, please click here:
https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/05.08.2020-EO-N-64-20-signed.pdf |
Series Of Important (Virtual) Town Halls:
The San Francisco Department on the Status of Women has partnered with the Office of Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) and New America California to hold a series of town halls in the upcoming weeks.
Below, please find a summary of the upcoming (virtual) town halls:
-Tuesday, May 19, 5PM, "Understanding Trauma & Sexual Violence During COVID-19".
-Thursday, June 2, at 5PM, "How Can We Support Women-Owned Businesses in San Francisco?"
-Topically related but being sponsored by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, "Wellness and Self-Preservation Training", May 15, 2020.
Lastly, please note that the Department on the Status of Women will be holding a virtual Family Violence Council Quarterly meeting on Wednesday, May 20, 3PM-5PM; details on how to join virtually will follow soon.
To learn about any of the above-noted events, please click here:
https://sfgov.org/dosw/join-us-virtual-town-halls |
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The United States Small Business Administration And The United States Department Of The Treasury Both Issued A New Set Of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) For The Federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Designed To Help Small Business Owners Stay Afloat During This Ongoing Pandemic:
On Tuesday, May 5, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration ("SBA") announced its latest round of frequently asked questions (FAQs), you can find them here:
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Paycheck-Protection-Program-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf
One key issue for many people we have worked with focused on employees not wanting to return to work, the FAQs provide for the following test:
Employers must provide proof of (1) a good faith, written offer to rehire AND (2) the employee's rejection of that offer.
Other issues that are addressed are: seasonal businesses are covered (Question 9); paid sick leave (yes, the PPP covers this, Question 8); 500 employees or less (Questions 2, 36); felony conviction/s and eligibility (Question 12); calculating the amount of loan forgiveness (Question 20); laid-off employees or employees that refuse to return to work (Question 40).
To read the eligibility requirements, please click here:
https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program#section-header-11
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Tax-Aid, A San Francisco Nonprofit, Offers Free Income Tax Services To People Who Earn Less Than $55,000 A Year:
The District 11 office was contacted by Tax-Aid, a nonprofit that offers free tax services to people who earn less than $55,000 a year, below please find more information on Tax-Aid.
Currently, because of the shelter-in-place order, Tax-Aid has shifted all of its tax services online. Please note, Tax-Aid employs and has volunteers who are multi-lingual and who speak limited English or no English at all.
To learn more about Tax-Aid, you can call 1-415-229-9240 or click here:
https://www.tax-aid.org/
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District 11's Mission Science Workshop Announces Its New Online Science Programs:
The District 11 office is very happy to announce that our very own Mission Science Workshop (MSW) announced that it is now offering live online science programs for San Francisco Unified School District ("S.F.U.S.D.") classrooms that include hands-on activities with materials easily found at home. So far, these classes have dealt with amazing experiments in modeling volcanoes, rainbows, blasting bull-roarers, and more!
Please note, that MSW does offer daily classes in both English and Spanish, to find out more information about MSW's live programs, or to sign yourself up or your class, please click here:
https://www.missionscienceworkshop.org/live-online-classes
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The City and County Of San Francisco Has CLOSED McLaren Park's Shelly Drive and Golden Gate Park's JFK Drive Starting Tuesday, April 28, 2020, At 6:00 A.M. For As Long As The Shelter-In-Place Order Is In Place:
On Monday, April 27, 2020, Mayor London N. Breed announced that beginning Tuesday, April 28, 2020, at 6:00 a.m., a portion of John F. Kennedy Drive -- from Kezar Drive to Transverse Drive -- in Golden Gate Park and John F. Shelley Drive in John McLaren Park will be closed to vehicles 24 hours per day throughout the duration of San Francisco's Stay Home Order.
Why?
The street closures are intended to ensure there is enough space for people who choose to exercise in Golden Gate Park McLaren Park to maintain required physical distancing.
Please note, while the street closures are intended to increase space for people to get outside all park users must still practice social distancing and people over 60 years of age and/or those with underlying health conditions or who are sick are encouraged to not leave their homes.
To review the social distancing guidelines, please click here:
https://covid19.ca.gov/
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Update Regarding Commercial Evictions In San Francisco:
This past week, the Small Business Commission informed the Board of Supervisors that there is now an official City-run email account to assist people field questions on San Francisco's existing moratorium on commercial evictions.
That email is: commercial.evictions@sfgov.org
The email will be monitored by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD).
Currently, all small businesses affected by COVID-19 can keep their locations up-to six (6) months if eligible. To confirm, SMALL BUSINESS TENANTS AND SUBTENANTS MUST:
(1) Be registered to do business in San Francisco; and
(2) Have gross receipts at or below $2 million; and
(3) Missed a rent payment from March 17 to May 17, 2020.
If you meet the above-noted three-prong test, then you must provide written documentation to your landlord that the coronavirus outbreak has had a financial impact on your business.
Once you do this, then your landlord cannot evict you BEFORE GIVING YOU (1) A WRITTEN NOTICE AND (2) AN OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH UP ON YOUR PAYMENTS.
Commercial tenants must discuss a payment plan with their landlords.
Lastly, the website for all eviction-related inquiries FOR COMMERCIAL TENANTS (SMALL BUSINESSES AND NOT RESIDENTIAL TENANTS) can be found here:
https://sf.gov/check-if-your-business-qualifies-eviction-moratorium
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IMPORTANT: California's Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program:
On Tuesday, April 28, 2020, California's Employment Development Department (EDD) started accepting online applications for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance ("PUA") Program.
What is California's PUA Program?
This is a newly available emergency unemployment assistance program under the federal CARES Act. PUA provides assistance for unemployed or partially unemployed individuals who are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance and who are unable or unavailable to work due to COVID-19 related circumstances.
Who should apply (covered individuals)?
- Independent contractors
- Self-employed
- Individuals without sufficient work history
- Individuals who have exhausted their regular and any extended UI benefits
- Must self-certify to be able and available to work except are unemployed due to COVID-19 related reason
When Do Benefits Begin?
Benefits can be retroactive to weeks starting on or after February 2, 2020, depending on your last day of work due to COVID-19 and regardless of when you submitted your claim application. The effective date of your claim will begin the Sunday of the week when you last worked and became unemployed due to reasons directly related to COVID-19.
How Long Will Benefits Be Awarded?
Up to 39 weeks (minus any weeks of regular UI and certain extended UI benefits). Last week is week ending December 26, 2020.**
** Under the CARES Act of 2020, the $600 additional benefits are available through 07/31/20. However, the U.S. DOL has issued guidance to clarify that, for most Californians, the last full week of benefits will end on 07/25/20. Similarly, the PUA program has a legislative end date of 12/31/20, but for most Californians the last full week of benefits will end on 12/26/20.
What is the amount of benefits?
Amount of Benefits
- Minimum weekly benefit amount of $167 (but weekly amount may be higher and equal the amount provided under regular UI, depending on proof of prior earnings)
- PLUS $600 for weeks between March 29, 2020 to July 25, 2020.*
To learn more, please click here:
https://edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019/pandemic-unemployment-assistance.htm
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The M Line Is Now Running Again, Starting Monday, May 4th, 2020:
Due to the advocacy from our office and many community leaders, SFMTA will return a portion of the M Line via bus starting this upcoming Monday.
Beginning Monday, May 4th the M line will return as a bus from Balboa Park to West Portal. This line will ensure that transportation to the OMI is not cut off and that community members can reach essential services outside the neighborhood.
The frequency will be as follows:
5 days per week
6 am - 9 pm
20 min frequency
Thank you to all of the community leaders who worked hard to bring this crucial line back to work, thank you.
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The Stay-At-Home Order Is Still In Effect In San Francisco:
Please note, as a friendly reminder, that the Stay-At-Home Order was recently extended again by Mayor London N. Breed till June 1st.
Please continue to wear a face mask if you are out in public, practice social distancing (six feet apart), and only be out in public for essential business or if you are an essential worker.
As of today, San Francisco has a total of 1,754 COVID-19 reported and confirmed cases along with 31 total deaths (our condolences to the families of these individuals). To keep daily track of COVID-19 in San Francisco, please click here:
https://data.sfgov.org/stories/s/dak2-gvuj
Thank you and be safe. |
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