May 16, 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 

SAN FRANCISCO RELEASES GUIDELINES FOR RETAIL BUSINESSES TO OPERATE STOREFRONT PICKUP AND DELIVERY

As long as COVID-19 indicators in San Francisco continue to demonstrate progress on slowing the spread of the virus, retail businesses will be able to operate for storefront pickup and delivery starting on Monday, May 18.

Mayor London N. Breed and Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax announced the next step in the City’s measured plan to safely reopen San Francisco by releasing guidelines for businesses in the city that are eligible for curbside or storefront pickup. As long as San Francisco continues making progress on reducing the spread of COVID-19, the City will amend the Stay Home Order that was issued on April 29^th to allow most retail businesses to resume operations with storefront pickup as soon as 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 18^th.

Today, the City issued guidelines for retail businesses, as well as associated manufacturers and warehouses. The guidelines are available online at SF.gov/curbside. Before a business can open, they must prepare, post, implement, and distribute a social distancing protocol for each of their facilities, and a written health and safety plan that addresses all applicable best practices that are detailed in the relevant Health Officer directives.

The Department of Public Health is working closely with the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and the Economic Recovery Task Force to develop best practices for facilitating safe pickups at retail businesses. The City is also partnering with business stakeholders to distribute the guidelines to businesses in multiple languages. Businesses can call 311 or the Small Business hotline at (415) 554-6134 for more information.

Key requirements of the current Health Order remain in place, including requirements to stay home except for essential needs and certain permitted activities, including outdoor businesses and activities. Additionally, San Franciscans must continue to follow social distance requirements and wear face coverings when waiting in line for pickup or inside of businesses.

Under the amended Health Order, any retail store in San Francisco that faces the street will be able to operate under the following conditions:

• Storefront, curbside, or outside pickup only. Customers may not enter the store.
• No more than 10 personnel may be on site in the retail facility at any time. Smaller stores may need to limit personnel to fewer than 10, to allow for required social distancing.
• Stores must have access to an adjacent curbside adjacent sidewalk, street, alley, or parking lot for pickup by customers using any form of permitted travel. The pickup area must not block pedestrians, or cause pedestrian or vehicle congestion.
• Retail stores in an enclosed indoor shopping center may not reopen at this time, except to the extent that the store has a separate entrance to an exterior sidewalk.

In addition to retail stores, certain manufacturers, warehouses, and logistical businesses will be allowed to open. Businesses that manufacture the goods sold at retail stores covered above and have no more than 50 personnel on site in the facility at any time will be allowed to operate. Businesses that provide warehousing and logistical support to the retail stores covered above and have no more than 50 personnel on site in the facility at any time will also be allowed to operate. They will also need to abide by State guidelines for safety during this pandemic.

Businesses can request that the street parking outside the entrance to their store be converted to a temporary loading zone to help encourage physical distancing and reduce crowding. That application information is available online, along with the guidelines for retail businesses.

The coronavirus pandemic is still ongoing. San Francisco communities will be dealing with it for a long time to come. The City expects outbreaks to continue, especially among vulnerable populations. That is why the City is building strong systems to protect our communities into the future. DPH will monitor new cases, hospitalizations and the health care system’s capacity to handle a surge of patients. DPH will also continue to watch the indicators with regard to sufficient testing, contact tracing, and personal protective equipment. The City will continue to work with community and business leaders to accomplish careful, measured progress and move forward to further reopening.

MAYOR LONDON BREED ANNOUNCES UPDATED BUDGET IMPACTS AS A RESULT OF COVID-19

$1.7 billion deficit for the current fiscal year and upcoming two-year budget does not include projected COVID-19 emergency response spending.

Mayor London N. Breed announced the City is facing a $1.7 billion deficit in the current year and upcoming two-year budget as result of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the current year, the City must close a $250 million shortfall. For the upcoming two-year budget, the shortfall is projected to be $1.5 billion. These projections assume a slow recovery beginning in late 2020, but if that recovery is delayed due to continued community exposure, the projected deficit could grow.

The City also laid out the current spending for the COVID-19 Emergency Response effort to be approximately $375 million for the current fiscal year. Portions of this spending will be covered by federal and state support, however ongoing costs are largely unknown at this time and any ongoing coverage for these types of expenses is uncertain. The two-year deficit projections do not currently include any ongoing emergency response costs, which are likely to be significant and will add to the already steep shortfalls.

The City has delayed its budget process given the public health emergency. The Mayor’s Office will issue revised budget instructions to departments next week, and by June 1^st, the Mayor will introduce a balanced interim budget at the Board of Supervisors. This will be followed by a proposed balanced budget to the Board of Supervisors by August 1^st. The Board will review, amend, and adopt that proposed budget by September 30^th.

The report can be found here: http://openbook.sfgov.org/webreports/details3.aspx?id=2823.

California superintendent outlines plans for Fall 2020

The Superintendent also says that fall start dates are set, not by the state, but by individual districts. Masks may be required for all students and staff before entering campuses. Some districts are even planning for school in shifts: a morning session and an afternoon session.

"That may be a way to accommodate the need to have so much smaller class sizes so that school campuses can reopen with social distancing provisions," Thurmond explained.

The Superintendent adds that despite budget cuts, his mission is to provide better technology and internet access to their 6.2 million students. To donate, send an email to donatetech@cde.gov

Plans for opening California schools this fall will be up to individual school districts, according to the state's top education official.

"The school districts will make their own decision about when to open, with guidance that the California Department of Education will provide," Tony Thurmond, California state superintendent of public instruction, said during a virtual media check-in Wednesday.