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The last couple of weeks have been hard. As if the pandemic’s grinding and sometimes tragic disruptions of our lives were not enough, the shocking murder of George Floyd landed like a match on a country ready to ignite. At the same time, the collective welling up of outrage and revulsion and the insistence of people across the nation on gathering together to mourn victims of police violence, protest anti-black violence in all its forms, and demand change has been beautiful to behold (even if a bit worrying from a public health perspective). Millions of people have taken to the streets across America (and indeed across the globe) to march for justice not just for George Floyd, but also for Breonna Taylor, Sean Monterrosa, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Mario Woods, Oscar Grant and far far too many other victims of police violence.
Last Monday I joined Mayor Breed, Supervisor Walton and African-American faith leaders for a kneel-in in front of City Hall. On Wednesday, I was awed by the tens of thousands of people who convened in front of Mission High at a protest organized by black and brown San Francisco youth. On Friday, my office assisted an amazing march, speak out and dance party organized by and for queer people of color to honor victims of police violence and to celebrate the strength of our queer POC community. And on Saturday I was delighted to see Noe Valley making itself heard, as hundreds of neighbors marched Sanchez Street chanting "black lives matter." And of course these are just a few of the actions that have taken place just in San Francisco. It can be a challenge to remain positive during troubled times (and these times are certainly troubled), but these marches and protests give me hope that people of good will not be silenced and can make the world a better place.
Amid all of this we are still in the middle of a global health crisis.
Please see the latest COVID-19 updates, and share this information widely.
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Here are the best ways to stay up to date on the City’s current information and guidance:
- Daily public health and shelter housing data are available at datasf.org/covid19
- Visit sf.gov/coronavirus for City resources, FAQs, and up-to-date information
- Sign up for text alerts by texting COVID19SF to phone number 888-777
- Call 311 for specific questions or concerns
Also see the City’s Outreach Toolkit for Coronavirus for links to up-to-date posters and videos in multiple languages that you can post and share. Information on how to request materials is available here .
Even though our office remains closed to the public, we are checking our email and voicemail every day. Please continue to contact us with pressing concerns or questions. |
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Prior to COVID-19, I enjoyed hosting regular community office hours where I could share news and discuss issues with constituents. Like most meetings these days, we've had to go virtual and now every Friday at 2pm I host an online Zoomside Chat. These Zoomside Chats allow my team and I to provide updates, share resources available to District 8 residents during the COVID-19 emergency and answer your questions.
We try to bring on a special guest each week and this Friday, June 12th we are excited to be joined by San Francisco's Director of Transit Jeffrey Tumlin.
You can can tune in on Zoom at 2pm this Friday and every Friday. |
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On Thursday May 28th Mayor Breed announced a timeline for the gradual reopening of San Francisco, which will allow certain businesses and activities to resume with modifications over several phases in the weeks and months ahead. For each phase, guidance will be issued to provide businesses and operators with adequate time for planning and compliance with health and safety requirements. Guidance for the resumption of personal activities like visiting friends and holding small gatherings is forthcoming.
Below are some highlights of the reopening phasing plan, and full reopening details are available here.
June 1:
- Childcare facilities not already open for up to 12 children
- Outdoor museums, botanical gardens, and historic sites
- Certain recreational facilities like tennis courts for singles only
June 15:
- Most indoor retail
- Outdoor dining and bars serving food
- Outdoor fitness classes
- Summer camps
- Sports events with no spectators
- Private household services (e.g. nannies, housecleaning)
- Religious services and ceremonies
- Non-emergency medical appointments
July 13:
- Hair salons and barber shops
- Indoor dining with social distancing
- Real estate open houses by appointment
Mid-August:
- Schools with social distancing
- Gyms and fitness centers
- Some indoor entertainment like movie theaters, bowling alleys, etc
- Services like nail salons, massage therapy, and tattoo parlors
- Playgrounds
- Swimming pools
- Indoor museums
- Bars not serving food
Phase 4 - Date to be determined:
- Concerts, live audience sports, night clubs, festivals, etc.
Elective surgeries can resume in San Francisco. Non-emergency surgery procedures scheduled in advance, whether inpatient or outpatient, may include but are not limited to cosmetic surgery, certain dental procedures, invasive surgical procedures that require sedation, eye surgeries, and other pre-planned surgeries or non-surgical procedures that involve general anesthesia or conscious sedation (such as a colonoscopy or endoscopy). Read the full Directive here.
Dental health care including but not limited to any preventative, restorative, maintenance, cosmetic, hygiene, corrective, orthodontic, urgent, or emergency care, may resume in San Francisco. Find the full Directive here. |
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- A new face covering requirement is in effect beginning May 30. In general, you are required to wear a face covering every time you leave the home, except when stationary in an outdoor space and at least six feet away from others (like sitting at the park). Face coverings must be worn anytime you are outside the home and within 30 feet of another person who is not a member of your household. For reference, 30 feet is equal to about the length of two cars. The 30-foot rule applies whether you are walking, hiking, biking, running, exercising, or otherwise mobile and likely to pass another person whom you do not live with. If you are picnicking at the park and are at least six feet from all persons you do not live with, a face covering is not required. But a face covering is required when you walk from your picnic area to another part of the park, for example. In order to protect all of us, be sure to keep your face covering accessible so that it can quickly be placed on your face when passing within 30 feet of others. Read more here.
- The San Francisco COVID-19 Data Tracker is updated daily and includes confirmed cases, available demographic information, hospitalizations, deaths and testing results, as well as neighborhood-level data.
- On June 5, the City issued guidance on safer socializing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as San Franciscans resume interactions with people outside their household. While the shelter in place order remains in place indefinitely, and guidance lifting the restriction on group gatherings has not yet been issued, San Franciscans should follow the below guidelines to ensure safer interactions as we begin to socialize with people we do not live with.
- The first step when considering a social interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic is to assess your risk and the risk of your loved ones. If you or someone in your household is over the age of 60 or living with a chronic health condition such as diabetes or lung disease, the risk of an interaction increases. If you choose to interact with people outside your household, you can make it safer by following the City's new guidelines: SF.gov/safersocializing.
- Testing is currently available to any person living in San Francisco who is experiencing at least one symptom or who has been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person in the last 14 days. Testing is also available to all essential workers regardless of symptoms, including workers in both the public and private sectors. There are currently more than 30 sites conducting COVID-19 testing around the City. Free testing is available at eight Alternative Testing sites and CityTestSF sites, or you may contact your healthcare provider if you have one. You do not need medical insurance or a doctor’s note to schedule a test, however you must make an appointment to get tested at an Alternative Testing site or CityTestSF site. For more information on testing or to request an appointment, visit sf.gov/GetTestedSF.
- San Francisco residents who have been to recent protests and want to get tested for COVID-19 can do so for free at the Fillmore Pop-up Testing Site, regardless of symptoms. T he best time to get an accurate test is about five days after potential exposure. If you are experiencing symptoms, you should seek testing as soon as possible. The Fillmore Pop-up Site is located at the Cathedral of St. Mary’s at 1111 Gough (at Geary), and is open to all San Francisco residents. Register for a test at www.sf.gov/GetTestedSF.
- On Monday May 18th the City launched three new COVID-19 testing opportunities in San Francisco, including the City’s first mobile testing site, a site at the City College Student Health Center, and testing for families in Bayview-Hunters Point. Read more about this announcement here . Please note that asymptomatic individuals may receive testing at the City College testing site.
- California Connected, the state’s comprehensive contact tracing program and public awareness campaign, connects public health workers around the state with individuals who test positive for COVID-19 - and the people they come into contact with - to ensure access to testing, medical care, and other services to help prevent the spread of the virus. Public health workers from communities around the state, identified on caller ID as the “CA COVID Team”, will call, text and email individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and people they may have unknowingly exposed to the virus.
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- The San Francisco County Clerk is preparing to launch video marriage services, including marriage license issuance and marriage ceremonies. Governor Newsom has authorized California County Clerks to issue marriage services via videoconference temporarily through June 2020 to assist couples with marriage during the COVID-19 pandemic. The appointments will be prioritized by the following:
1. Urgent, time-sensitive requests such as immigration, health and safety, and military deployment. Couples with urgent marriage requests should be directed to this online form.
2. Couples whose appointments were canceled due to the County Clerk office closure. County Clerk staff are contacting these customers directly to reschedule appointments. Appointments will be conducted via video conference.
3. San Francisco residents. Video marriage appointments will be open to San Francisco residents if appointments are still available after taking care of canceled clients, and if the Executive Order is still in place. The County Clerk website will be updated with information on how to book an appointment should this become available. Updates on County Clerk services can be found here.
4. All other requests will be handled after groups #1-3 above. The County Clerk website will be updated with information on how to book an appointment should this become available. Updates on County Clerk services can be found here.
- Departments in City Hall are preparing to gradually restore operations. Find out which City services are open during the COVID-19 outbreak here.
- See the full list of current operations and services at the San Francisco Superior Court here.
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Small Business and Non-Profit Assistance
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- The Mayor announced that outdoor dining will be allowed under new safety guidelines starting this Friday, June 12. Businesses may also apply online to the Shared Spaces program if they want to expand into the sidewalk or curbside parking spaces. Restaurants that already have outdoor seating areas or sidewalk seating don't need to apply for a Shared Spaces permit, but will need to follow the new safety requirements to reopen. Retailers may also apply for a Shared Spaces permit to expand outside, and indoor retail will be allowed under a new health order effective this Monday, June 15th. Meanwhile, we're also working with neighborhood merchant groups throughout the district on proposals to further expand outdoor dining and shopping with partial street closures and by using public plazas.
- Curbside pickup and delivery remains in effect. Until June 15th, when in-store retail may tentatively resume depending upon health indicators, most retail businesses may resume operations for storefront pickup and delivery only. Guidelines and requirements can be found here . Before a business can open, they must post a social distancing protocol for each of their facilities, and a written health and safety plan that addresses all applicable best practices. Businesses can call 311 or the Small Business hotline at 415-554-6134 for more information. SFMTA has created an online form for merchants to help expedite the process to get the curbs adjacent to their businesses better programmed for any operational changes they may be experiencing, which can be found here .
- On May 21, Office of Economic & Workforce Development, San Francisco Entertainment Commission, and the Department of Public Health hosted a webinar on the rules and best practices for curbside pick-up for retail businesses. If you missed it, you can view the recorded webinar here. This helpful guide for businesses summarizes key requirements and best practices for retail and related businesses to operate in multiple languages.
- The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is now permitting California bars that do not sell food to team up with traditional restaurants, fast food restaurants, food trucks, or other similar establishments that prepare and sell meals in order to sell their food with cocktails, beer and wine for take-out and delivery. Currently, bars that do not sell food are not able to sell alcoholic beverages for take-out or delivery unless they partner with a restaurant under this new relief program.
- The local commercial eviction moratorium has been extended through June 16. The moratorium prevents any small and medium-sized businesses from being evicted due a loss of income related to lost revenue or other economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Check here for guidelines and FAQs or contact commercial.evictions@sfgov.org .
- Keep track of assistance programs for small businesses and nonprofits including grants, loans, and technical assistance at www.oewd.org/coronavirus, or by contacting the Office of Small Business at 415-554-6134 or sfosb@sfgov.org . See a list of non-government assistance programs here.
- For small businesses seeking to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE), the Office of Small Business has created a list of Bay Area shops selling PPE. This list is a business-to-business resource guide designed for San Francisco small businesses seeking to purchase PPE.
- SF Nightlife Relief has compiled resources for nightlife and entertainment businesses, employees, artists, freelancers and other professionals in San Francisco during the COVID-19 pandemic, including information on the latest requirements, financial assistance, and best practices that affect the industry here . If you’re a business or an employee, visit sf.gov/NightlifeBizRelief. For artists and freelancers, visit sf.gov/NightlifeArtistRelief .
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- Data on the City’s supply and use of alternative housing is available on the City’s COVID-19 Data Tracker . The information outlines efforts by the City to establish temporary emergency housing and shelter options, including hotel rooms, for vulnerable populations, individuals directly affected by the coronavirus, and critical frontline workers and is updated daily.
- The Mayor has extended the local eviction moratorium for unpaid rent due to COVID-19 through June 30, and for most other no-fault evictions through August 30. Tenants who were unable to pay rent due to COVID-19 must notify their landlord within one month after the rent was due, and have six months after the moratorium expires, or December 30, to repay back rent before any eviction action could be initiated.
- The 60-day moratorium on rent increases for rent-controlled units remains in effect until June 23. The temporary rent freeze applies to all rent increases that are effective between April 7 and June 23 (unless extended), even if the rent increase notice itself was served before April 7. For more information, see the Rent Board.
- San Francisco workers are putting themselves and their families at risk to keep services and businesses operating during this unprecedented time. To help keep working community members and their families safe, the San Francisco High Risk Community Housing (HRCH) Program provides complimentary hotel accommodations to San Francisco residents living with others in neighborhoods with higher COVID-19 rates. This temporary housing resource offers respite for San Franciscans who continue to provide essential services to our City and helps to prevent community spread of COVID-19.
- The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission has announced a New Emergency Assistance Program that will offer discounts to residential customers who need help paying their bills. This emergency effort significantly expands eligibility for a limited time, and will apply discounts for qualified customers retroactive to March 4.
- If you were unable to pay your property taxes by the May 15 deadline because of the COVID-19 crisis, you may submit an online request for a penalty waiver. If approved, you will be able pay your bill without the 10% late payment penalty and $45 administrative fee. As a result of the Governor's Executive Order N-61-20 , if you are approved for a waiver and you were unable to pay your property taxes for your primary residence or small business because of the COVID-19 crisis, you will have until May 6, 2021 to pay your bill without incurring any late payment penalties.
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MUNI and Public Transportation
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- Muni service updates, and route-specific information on lines that are current service are updated regularly. Face coverings are required when waiting for or riding transit, or taking a taxi or shuttle.
- Beginning June 15, the MTA will resume enforcement of street sweeping violations. Since March 17, MTA has suspended issuing parking citations for cars that do not move to observe street sweeping. According to the MTA, as many as 18,000 cars per day have failed to move during this period of non-enforcement.
- BART is working to reimagine transit service as the region begins to reopen and riders return. To welcome riders back and regain confidence in public transit, BART laid out a 15-step plan to welcome back riders while continuing to explore new measures and technologies that could assist in a safe recovery.
- The Slow Streets program limits selected streets to local traffic only to prioritize walking or biking and provide more space for social distancing during essential travel. Streets are not closed completely and local vehicle access will be allowed (e.g., driveway access for residents, businesses, and deliveries). D8 Slow Streets include Sanchez in Upper Noe from 23rd to 30th, and Chenery from Elk to Brompton in Glen Park. We are currently working with the MTA to identify additional routes serving the Castro, Mission Dolores, and Duboce Triangle neighborhoods.
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- SFUSD is expected to resume for the 2020-2021 school year on August 17 in some form, but exact details are still in the planning phase and rely upon public health and education guidance.
- SFUSD has announced that grab & go meal sites will continue throughout the summer! Free meals will be available to all children. For locations and updates, visit sfusd.edu/schoolfood.
- Families are encouraged to sign up for summer camp. The Recreation and Park Department opened registration for current participants and scholarship eligible families May 26 and will open to all families on June 6 at http://sfrecpark.org/register.
- Get summer program updates from the Department of Children, Youth and their Families here . Families who are interested in enrolling their children in summer camps and programs, or who have questions about their eligibility, can sign up to receive updates. Some programs are preparing to open and will be required to certify their compliance with Health Order guidelines.
- The San Francisco Latino Task Force (LTF) launched a one-stop trilingual website to help the Latino community navigate the various COVID-19 resources online: www.LTFrespuestalatina.com . The website provides information and resources in English, Spanish, and Mayan languages. Resources on the website include health, food, education, small businesses, housing, employment, artists, and more.
- The Office of Early Care and Education (OECE) has received $1 million in funding from the Give2SF COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to create a Family Child Care Emergency Operating Grant program. Family Child Care (FCC) educators provide child care for children ages 0 to 12 and are a vital resource for families, particularly in communities with a high need for early care and education but with limited child care resources. The program will provide up to 150 FCC educators with funding they can use to cover operating expenses like staff retention, rent or mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities, and any other expenses related to typical program operations, and will focus on supporting child care operators who are not eligible or do not have access to many of the funding resources available to other business sectors. Program details and applications are available here.
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- The City has launched Great Plates Delivered SF, a new emergency food assistance program for seniors that's bringing business back to local restaurants and food vendors, who are partnering with the City to ensure older San Franciscans can access fresh, quality meals while they shelter in place. Older adults over 65 who live alone or with another senior, or adults 60-64 with underlying medical conditions, may be eligible to receive three free meals a day delivered contact-free. For more information or to sign up for Great Plates Delivered SF, visit http://www.sfhsa.org/GreatPlates.
- The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank continues to operate pop-up food pantries throughout the City, Monday through Friday every week. Members of the public in need of food can receive fresh, seasonal produce, lean protein, grain, and shelf-stable items. Check the SF-Marin Food Bank website for any ID or registration requirements as it varies by site, and see a full list of locations and hours here .
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- Blood donations are urgently needed! During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients continue to require blood for childbirth, cancer treatments, essential medical procedures, and everyday emergencies. The need for blood is now significantly increasing as previously postponed elective surgeries are rescheduled and shelter-in-place requirements are relaxed across the country. During the past several weeks, demand for blood components for hospital patients has increased by 25% . Schedule an appointment today to donate blood at an upcoming public blood drive.
- New Deal is seeking volunteers to help with meal deliveries, volunteer and fundraising outreach, marketing, and logistics. Find more information or sign up here.
- Connect with a variety of City and non-profit volunteer opportunities to help feed, support, and care for vulnerable San Franciscans.
- The San Francisco Marin Food Bank is currently operating 17 pop up pantries, and is in need of more volunteers to support the food bank. Even one shift a week could have a profound impact in our community. This support is essential, safe, and very rewarding.
- The Bay Area Reporter is America's longest continuously-published, and highest circulation LGBTQ media source, and the newspaper of record serving San Francisco's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Like many other local independent media outlets, they are seeking support to weather the COVID-19 crisis. Find out more about the BAR fundraiser here.
- The City’s Give2SF Fund is accepting tax-deductible monetary contributions for coronavirus response efforts. Funding will provide food security and access to housing, with a focus on assisting undocumented people who otherwise may not have access to social safety net programs, seniors and people with disabilities, and small businesses. To date, more than $26 million has been raised. Find out more about the fund at www.give2sf.org.
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- AIDS 2020 Scholarships are available for Bay Area residents! The AIDS 2020 Local Planning Group is offering scholarships for people from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area working in the HIV/AIDS field who would like to attend the 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020) July 6-10, and who have not yet registered. These scholarships are available for regular attendees, youths (aged 18-25 years), students and postdoctoral candidates through a competitive process. We gratefully acknowledge the support of these partners. The scholarship application process ends on June 12. Complete the application here.
- The City has assembled a trove of LGBTQ community resources including housing assistance, legal aide, health services, and resources for queer youth.
- The SF Bay Area LGBTQ COVID-19 Relief Coalition is a partnership among many organizations in the Bay Area serving the queer community. Learn more about how to volunteer, donate, or seek support here.
- The LGBT Center hosts weekly webinars for small business owners in the LGBTQIA community and everyone else.
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There are amazing things happening in every corner of our district, despite the COVID-19 emergency. Is there something going on in your neighborhood that you would like us to highlight in a future newsletter, whether it be live (socially-distanced) street music, an incredible neighbor stepping up to help others during COVID-19, or something else you want folks to know about? Send your District 8 Amazingness submission to mandelmanstaff@sfgov.org! Here are a few of our favorites:
- Paint the Void is seeking artists interested in adding murals to Castro businesses. Many storefronts already have incredible murals up but Paint the Void is looking for more. Artists can contact the Castro Merchants Association at info@castromerchants.com to connect with interested business owners. Thanks Christopher Vasquez for taking this photo with artist Elliot C Nathan and his great mural now up at Beaux!
- In true District 8 spirit, neighbors have been finding creative ways to stay connected with one another while keeping their social distance. I had a blast joining Duboce Triangle resident Sue Porter Beckstead and many of her neighbors on Memorial Day for live music and sunshine. Neighbors brought their own libations (and their masks, of course!). Thanks Sue for having me!
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