A new Public Health Order, effective Friday April 17th at midnight, requires residents and workers to wear face coverings at essential businesses and in public facilities, on transit, and while performing essential work.

• While inside or waiting in line to enter an essential businesses, like a grocery store or pharmacy.
• When seeking health care.
• When waiting for or riding transit.
• When entering facilities allowed to operate under the Stay Home Order (such as government buildings.)

• Inform customers about the need to wear a face covering, including posting signs;
• Take reasonable steps to keep people who are not wearing a face covering from entering their business, and
• Refuse service to anyone not wearing a face covering.

• All workers and volunteers at essential businesses, operating public transportation, or operating other types of shared transportation must wear a face covering when at work in most settings, when interacting with the public or co-workers.
• Workers doing minimum basic operations, like security or payroll, essential infrastructure work, or government functions must wear a face covering when others are nearby or when they are in areas that the public regularly visits.

• At home.
• In their cars alone or with members of their household.
• Outdoors, walking, hiking, bicycling, or running. However, people are recommended to have a face covering with them and readily accessible when exercising, even if they’re not wearing it at that moment.
• Children 12 years old or younger. Children age 2 and under must not wear a face covering due to the risk of suffocation. Children age 3 to 12 are not required to wear a face covering, but if they do, they should be supervised by an adult.

• My office continues to receive questions from our constituents regarding the eligibility of certain types of construction projects to proceed under the current SIP order. Construction work is allowed in limited cases during the Shelter in Place order. See up-to-date guidance and clarifications at sf.gov/coronavirus. The Department of Building Inspection is fielding questions and complaints about essential construction activities. You may contact DBI at permitcenter@sfgov.org, or file a complaint at 415-558-6590 or online at http://dbiweb.sfgov.org/dbi_complaints/. You may also call 311 with questions or to file a complaint. DBI is also now accepting electronic plans and issuing permits for essential projects
• If your business does not sell a significant amount of goods like food, hygiene, or cleaning products, you cannot keep your storefront open. However, your store can deliver items directly to customers’ residences (and employees can go to the store to facilitate this function); but you cannot allow customers to pick up orders or be served “at the door.”  In addition, you must comply with all social distancing requirements including creating and posting a social distancing protocol. Read the FAQ for more information.

• Applications are now being accepted for San Francisco Workers and Families First Paid Sick Leave Program. The program includes $10 million in funding to support businesses and nonprofits to provide additional paid sick leave to employees, over and above their existing policies. Businesses are encouraged to apply right away by going to link.oewd.org/WFF.  For assistance applying or for questions, employers may call the Office of Small Business at (415) 554-6134, or via email at sfosb@sfgov.org.
•  San Francisco Hardship Emergency Loan Program (SF HELP) has been launched to 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. More info available here. You can apply to SF HELP here. 
• Nonprofits may apply for a grant from San Francisco Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. One-time grants are available for organizations addressing racial bias, worker protection, housing security, and food security challenges related to COVID-19, including LGBTQ-focussed organizations working in these areas. Apply here.
• Mayor Breed and Board of Supervisors President Norman Yee announced the creation of the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force, which I am honored to have been nominated to serve on along with my colleague Supervisor Aaron Peskin. More info available here . 
• The city announced a temporary limit on the commission that third-party food delivery companies can charge restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Third-party delivery providers can charge restaurants no more than 15% commission for food delivery for the duration of the Local Emergency.

• You will be able to self-certify your wages on the application. This will allow the process to move more quickly. Rather than the typical 3 week wait to receive benefits, EDD is currently saying that you will receive your benefits within 24-48 hours of applying. 
• PUA provides for a minimum payment of $167 per week. The maximum is $450 per week. If there are any issues determining what you are entitled to, EDD will start paying out the minimum amount within the 24-48 hour window. EDD will then go back, determine what you are owed, and pay you the additional amount including back-pay.
• You can apply for benefits that are back-dated up to the first week of February, or whenever you first felt an economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. Applying later will not reduce the total amount your receive. nbsp;
• PUA will also allow you to get access to the additional $600 per week made available through the CARES Act. This is on top of your PUA benefits. These benefits were available to others on existing unemployment starting the week of March 29, and as of now are available through the end of July. If you apply and back-date your claim, then you will get those additional funds for any week after March 29th for which you receive PUA benefits, until July. 

• As of Wednesday April 8th, the SFTMTA has temporarily reduced MUNI service down to only 17 of the most-used lines due to COVID-19 operator shortages and ridership declines. The 22 and 24 buses, the 14 and 49 buses on Mission Street and the L, N, and T lines running as shuttles on Market Street will remain but all other MUNI lines serving District 8 will no longer be operating. Keep track of Muni service and parking enforcement updates here. 
• As of April 9th, the MTA has announced that the L Bus will be adding additional stops in Twin Peaks as part of the COVID-19 Muni Core Service Plan. On the Inbound (to Downtown) L these stops will be at Woodside and Portola, Portola and Clipper and Clayton and Market. On the Outbound (to SF Zoo) L these stops will be at Portola and Burnett and Woodside and Portola. I am grateful to the MTA for working with my office to add these stops, and will continue to work with the MTA to increase MUNI service that ensures access to essential services wherever possible.
• MTA has launched a reduced-cost taxi ride program. I am grateful to the SFMTA for working with my office on the Essential Trip Card program, which provides a lifeline for residents who would otherwise be unable to make essential trips. The Essential Trip Card (ETC) program will provide two to three round trips per month at 20% of the cost of a regular taxi fare. All taxis in San Francisco will accept the card to pay for essential trips like grocery shopping or medical appointments during the shelter-in-place. Customers who pay $6 will receive $30 in value on a debit card or can pay $12 for $60 in value for taxi trips on a debit card. Cards can be refilled once a month for each month until this temporary program ends. Older adults (65+) and people with disabilities can apply for the ETC program by calling 311 and mentioning the program. Staff will be available weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. to sign-up participants or answer questions. The webpage is live here: SFMTA.com/ETC.
• BART will temporarily close some station entrances in downtown San Francisco beginning Monday April 13th. BART will temporarily close several entrances at the four downtown San Francisco stations. All entrances on the north side of Market Street will remain open, while all entrances on the south side of Market will be closed. All stations remain ADA accessible and signs will be posted at the closed entrances noting others remain open to avoid confusion. More info available here. 

• The City has launched a Text to 9-1-1 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.
• The City has deployed a series of new portable toilets and hand-washing stations at 15 high-need locations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a station in District 8 at 16th and Market. The portable toilets, available for use 24 hours a day, will be staffed to deter vandalism and unwanted activities. They also will be serviced daily. More info available here.
• The City has listed several LGBTQ community resources including housing assistance, legal aide, health services, and resources for queer youth at sf.gov/coronavirus. Volunteer to support LGBTQ+ communities with Turnout (volunteer@turnout.org or 510-863-4879) or Mon Ami (650-267-2474).

• As the San Francisco shelter-in-place order has been extended and in accordance with state law, the new property tax deadline is May 4, 2020 (the first business day after the shelter-in-place order is lifted). Taxpayers who are unable to pay by this date for reasons related to COVID-19 should submit a request for a penalty waiver online. Please note that penalty waiver requests will not be accepted until after the property tax deadline. Read the full statement from Treasurer José Cisneros here. 
• Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that will restrict water shutoffs to homes and small businesses while the state responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order protects consumers who may not be able to pay for their water service from shutoffs. Already, over 100 public and private water systems across California have voluntarily suspended water shutoffs for non-payment as a result of COVID-19. Under the order, the State Water Resources Control Board will issue best practices and guidelines on support for the state’s water systems during this time . More info available here.

• The City and County of San Francisco’s Give2SF fund is accepting tax-deductible monetary contributions for the City's COVID-19 outbreak response efforts, as well as in-kind bulk donations of critical supplies for frontline workers such as masks, gloves, and sanitizer. Funds will be used to provide shelter, food and other assistance to individuals, families, small businesses, and nonprofits in San Francisco. Make a monetary or in-kind donation here. 
• Governor Newsom launched a website to collect donations of COVID-19 medical supplies. Covid19supplies.ca.gov allows individuals and companies to donate, sell or offer to manufacture 13 of the most essential medical supplies, including ventilators, N95 respirators, and testing materials.