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.  

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 homelessness. Operation 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.  

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.

• Agendas are posted on the Board of Supervisors' website: 
  http://acgov.org/board/.

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.