Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan’s Weekly Updates on COVID-19

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Updates on COVID-19 from
Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan

In this issue:

Updates from the
Alameda County
Public Health Department

Expanding Eviction Protections in Alameda County 

Alameda County Emergency Food and Resources Interactive Map

Project Roomkey

Property Tax Relief in Alameda County

Save the Date: Virtual Town Hall on Homelessness on May 6, 2020

Stay Informed

Public Comment Procedures for Board of Supervisors Meetings During Shelter in Place

Community Resources

Alameda County Public Health Department
COVID-19 Contact Information

Enforcement of the Shelter in Place Order E-mail:
COVID19compliance@acgov.org

Alameda County COVID-19
Data Dashboard

Non-Immediate Concerns
Email: nCoV@acgov.org
Phone: 510-268-2101

Public Health Agencies' Dedicated COVID-19 Information Web Pages:

 

Alameda County
Public Health Department:

www.acphd.org/2019-ncov.aspx

 

California Department of
Public Health:

covid19.ca.gov

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

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Housing Information and Critical Health & Human Services

 

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Connect with me on Facebook

 

 

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Email me:
District3@acgov.org


County Seal

 

 

Oakland Office
1221 Oak Street, Suite 536
Oakland, CA 94612 (map)
Phone: 510.272.6693
Fax: 510.268.8004

  

 

District Office
15903 Hesperian Boulevard
San Lorenzo, CA 94580 (map)
Phone: 510.278.0367
Fax: 510.278.0467

 

 

Dear District 3 Community,

The County of Alameda is committed to keeping the public informed as we work together to stop the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this bulletin, you can read updates from the Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD) and find information on housing and food resources for community members who have been affected by COVID-19. 

For up-to-date data and answers to frequently asked questions, visit ACPHD's dedicated COVID-19 web page.

It is an honor to serve you.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with any comments, questions or concerns that you may have regarding the district or Alameda County.

Sincerely,                                                                           

wc

Wilma Chan
Supervisor, Third District 

Updates from the Alameda County
Public Health Department

The Bay Area Public Health Officers will be releasing their revisions to the Shelter in Place order. The Shelter in Place order will be extended through May, although a few low-risk activities will see an easing in restrictions. Further details are forthcoming.

While the Bay Area has made substantial progress in slowing the spread of COVID-19, it is imperative we continue our collective work to combat the virus and practice an abundance of caution in following safe hygiene and physical distancing guidelines. If we re-open our communities too quickly, we will undo all of our hard-work and see a devastating surge in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.   

The Shelter in Place has been difficult for many of us, but we must continue following these guidelines to protect ourselves, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our community. Together, we can defeat COVID-19.  

Expanding Eviction Protections in Alameda County 

Last week, the Board of Supervisors voted to expand the emergency eviction moratorium to include commercial buildings to protect small businesses in the Unincorporated Areas of Alameda County that have lost business and income due to COVID-19.  

Additionally, the Board of Supervisors voted to expand the county-wide residential eviction moratorium to include all evictions, regardless of cause and not limited to COVID-19 income loss. Under this new ordinance, evictions are only permitted in the event of an immediate health or safety risk. Infection or a heightened risk of infection of COVID-19 is not an allowable risk. 

You can not be evicted for testing positive with or being exposed to COVID-19.  

If a city’s ordinance is more strict or expansive than the County’s, the city’s ordinance will remain in effect. Please visit your city’s tenant and rental housing resource pages for additional guidance: 

The full text of the County’s ordinance can be found here.  

Alameda County Emergency Food Distribution and Resource Interactive Map

The Alameda County Social Services Agency and Emergency Operations Center have launched an interactive map for Alameda County residents in need to search for emergency food and other resources near them. 

The additional online resources are part of the County’s work with its community partners to keep residents connected with benefits and services during the emergency. While social distancing is crucial, we want to close any distance between County residents and the services they need for nutrition and health.

Project Roomkey 

Our residents experiencing homelessness are among the most vulnerable populations during this global pandemic. Due to the close-quartered nature of shelters and encampments, it can be nearly impossible to practice safe hygiene and physical distancing guidelines. In effort to mitigate these risks, the State of California has partnered with local county governments on Project Roomkey – an initiative to provide safe isolation housing in motels and hotels throughout the state.  

Alameda County’s Project Roomkey - a collaboration between Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless (ACHCH), Alameda County Health Care Services Agency, Abode Services, and the State of California – provides both safe quarantine housing and preventative isolation housing for our neighbors experiencing homelessnessOperation Comfort provides emergency quarantine housing for people experiencing homelessness who have tested positive for COVID-19, have symptoms consistent with a possible case of COVID-19, or have had verified exposure to someone who has tested positive. Operation Safer Ground provides safe isolation housing for individuals who are over the age of 65 or are in a medically high-risk population.  

Both programs require referrals from approved providers. For more information on isolation housing, visit ACHCH’s Project Roomkey page or e-mail covidhousing@acgov.org 

Property Tax Relief in
Alameda County

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many homeowners have lost income and may be struggling to pay their housing expenses. The Alameda County Tax Collector’s Office is waiving penalties for property owners who are delinquent on their second installment of property due to substantial loss of income as a result of COVID-19. Property owners must provide supporting documentation to substantiate the request.

For more information, visit the Tax Collector’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for COVID-19 penalty waivers. Applications can be submitted online or by mail.  

Save the Date: Virtual Town Hall on Homelessness on May 6, 2020

I invite you to join me and Supervisor Nate Miley on Wednesday, May 6th, 2020 from 6:00-7:30 PM for a virtual town hall on the Home Together Investment Plan: Local Solutions to Homelessness.

Hear from the Alameda County Office of Homeless Care and Coordination, EveryOne Home and St. Mary's Center to learn about and discuss the Home Together Investment Plan, a proposed ballot measure to support local solutions to homelessness across the county. A link and call in number to join this Virtual Town Hall will be available shortly. The information will be posted on my Facebook page.

Stay Informed

For updates on COVID-19, visit one of the following dedicate web pages from trusted public health agencies:

Governor Gavin Newsom's Daily Updates
Gov. Newsom provides daily briefings at 12 PM on the Governor’s official Facebook and Twitter pages. You do not need an account to view the briefings on either platform.  

Public Comment Procedures for Board of Supervisors Meetings During Shelter in Place

Procedures for Board of Supervisors meetings are subject to change to improve videoconferencing tools. Please check the Board of Supervisors' website for the most up-to-date guidelines.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will continue to conduct essential government business at our regularly scheduled Board meetings.

While in-person participation is limited to essential personnel, we are committed to providing the public with live broadcast and remote opportunities to participate in public comment during the Shelter in Place order. The following guidelines allow for public participation in Board meetings while following safe social distancing practices:

Remote Viewing/Listening:
Members of the public who wish to watch the Board of Supervisors meetings, are encouraged to view the live stream online at: 
http://acgov.org/board/broadcast.htm.

We recommend against using Internet Explorer to view the meetings. We recommend using Google Chrome or other browsers to view the meetings.

Public Comment via Teleconference:
Members of the public may address the Board of Supervisors on a matter on the agenda or during the Public Input portion of the meeting on a matter not on the agenda but is an issue within the Board’s subject matter jurisdiction.

To observe the meeting by video conference, please click on this link to join the webinar at the noticed meeting time.

  • If you are using a laptop:
    Use the "Raise Hand" button to indicate you would like to speak or provide public comment. When you are called to speak, unmute your speaker.
  • If you are listening to the meeting by phone:
    Use the numbers listed on the Zoom/Teleconferencing Guidelines. 
    Dial *9 to raise your hand to speak.
    If you decide not speak, you may hang up and dial back into the meeting or simply notify the Clerk you do not wish to speak when you are unmuted and asked to speak.

Written Comment (accepted until the start of the meeting at 9:30 a.m., unless otherwise noted on the meeting agenda).

To provide written comment on an item on the agenda or to address the Board about an issue during Public Input, you may send an email to CBS@acgov.org.

Please include your name and note the agenda item number you want to address or whether you intend for comment to be included in Public Input. Copies of all written comments will be provided to the Board Members and will be added to the official record.

ADA Accessibility: If you require a reasonable modification or accommodation for a disability, please email the Clerk of the Board at CBS@acgov.org or call (510) 208-4949.