 Dear Friends,
While it has only been a week since our last District 1 newsletter, special circumstances regarding the weekend celebrations, COVID-19 restrictions, and next week’s election call for an earlier community update. More specifically, as we approach Halloween and Día de los Muertos, it will be important to follow the Alameda County Public Health Department’s guidance for COVID-19 in order to continue advancing into our reopening plans. With the Public Health Department’s announcement that middle and high-schools can reopen beginning November 9, our commitment to safe practices this weekend will be truly crucial. Lastly, as I approach the end of my final term as District 1 Supervisor and reflect on over two decades of elections that I have experienced while in office, I ask that all eligible District 1 citizens exercise your Constitutional right to vote this Tuesday, November 3. While I will soon greatly miss serving our beautiful communities, leaving office after record-breaking voter participation would be a truly cherished gift.
Please take a moment to read through our District 1 newsletter, stay safe, and be good to one another. If you have any questions regarding County-related issues, feel free to contact my office at 925-551-6995 or email me at District1@acgov.org.
Very Sincerely,
 Scott Haggerty
Alameda County Supervisor
District 1
 The 2020 Election is almost here! If you missed the October 19 deadline to register, you can still vote via Same Day Voter Registration. Eligible citizens can complete this process at the County elections office, a polling place, or vote center. Same Day Voter ballots will be processed and counted once the voter registration verification process is completed.
   For all other accessible polling locations in Alameda County, please click here to access the Alameda County Registrar of Voters polling location map. You can also cast your mail-in ballot at any of the Vote by Mail Drop Boxes located on this Alameda County Registrar of Voters map.
You have the following rights:
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The right to vote if you are a registered voter. You are eligible to vote if you are:
- a U.S. citizen living in California
- registered where you currently live
- at least 18 years old
- not in prison or on parole for a felony
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The right to vote if you are a registered voter even if your name is not on the list. You will vote using a provisional ballot. Your vote will be counted if elections officials determine that you are eligible to vote.
- The right to vote if you are still in line when the polls close.
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The right to cast a secret ballot without anyone bothering you or telling you how to vote.
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The right to get a new ballot if you have made a mistake, if you have not already cast your ballot. You can:
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Ask an elections official at a polling place for a new ballot; or
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Exchange your vote-by-mail ballot for a new one at an elections office, or at your polling place; or
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Vote using a provisional ballot, if you do not have your original vote-by-mail ballot.
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The right to get help casting your ballot from anyone you choose, except from your employer or union representative.
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The right to drop off your completed vote-by-mail ballot at any polling place in the county where you are registered to vote.
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The right to get election materials in a language other than English if enough people in your voting precinct speak that language.
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The right to ask questions to elections officials about election procedures and watch the election process. If the person you ask cannot answer your questions, they must send you to the right person for an answer. If you are disruptive, they can stop answering you.
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The right to report any illegal or fraudulent election activity to an elections official or the Secretary of State’s office.
Voter Assistance
English
(510) 272-6973
中文
(510) 208-9665
Español
(510) 272-6975
Tagalog
(510) 272-6952
Tiếng Việt
(510) 272-6956
日本語
(510) 272-5036
ខ្មែរ។
(510) 272-5035
한국어
(510) 272-5037
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
(510) 272-5035
Below is a list of mailing addresses that people experiencing homelessness may use as a mailing address when registering to vote and to receive their mail-in ballot. Please note that the programs marked (*) request that you check-in and register to be able to pick up your mail:
Berkeley:
- Berkeley Women’s Daytime Drop In Center* (510) 548-2884: 2218 Acton Street Berkeley CA 94702
- Berkeley Drop In Center* (510) 653-3808: 3234 Adeline Street Berkeley CA 94703
Oakland:
- BACS Towne House Center (510) 658-9480: 629 Oakland Ave, Oakland
Hayward:
- South Hayward Parish* (510) 785-3663: 27287 Patrick Ave Hayward, CA 94544
- Downtown Streets Team TBA
- BACS Hedco Wellness Center(510) 247-8235 : 590 B Street, Hayward 94541
Fremont:
- BACS South County Wellness Center (510) 613-0330 : 40963 Grimmer Blvd, Fremont CA 94538
Livermore:
- Asbury United Methodist Church* (925) 447-1950: 4743 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550.
Pleasanton:
- BACS Valley Wellness Center (925) 484-8457: 3900 Valley Ave, Pleasanton, CA 94566
Post Office General Delivery
People without a permanent address are supposed to be able to receive mail at a post office under General Delivery. There is no application; however, post offices only hold mail at least one week before discarding. So one must return and keep checking regularly at the post office.
Measure V:
ALL ALAMEDA COUNTY—Would extend the existing 6.5% Utility Users Tax to June 30, 2033, collected only in the unincorporated areas (Ashland, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, San Lorenzo, Sunol), in order to fund county services, including services to the unincorporated areas (e.g. sheriff, library, planning, code enforcement), retaining current exemptions and exclusions. Measure V requires a simple majority (50% + 1) to pass.
Measure W:
ALL ALAMEDA COUNTY—Would establish a half percent (0.5%) sales tax for 10 years to provide essential County services, including housing and services for those experiencing homelessness, mental health services, job training, social safety net, and other General Fund services, with annual audits and citizen oversight. Measure W requires a simple majority (50% + 1) to pass.
Measure X:
UNINCORPORATED ALAMEDA COUNTY—Would authorize the Alameda County Fire Department to issue $90 million in general obligation bonds to repair/replace outdated stations, thereby maintaining services in unincorporated communities (including medical emergency lifesaving services, fast 911 response, wildfire protection and disaster response), with oversights and audits, and no funds for salaries, benefits, or pensions. Measure X requires at least ⅔ of voters approving to pass.
The Alameda County Public Health Department has prepared the following guidance document in order to keep us informed on how to safely celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos.
Local health officials highly recommend community members participate in lower risk activities to celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos this year:
LOWER RISK: Stay home, keep it small.
- Celebrating Halloween traditions like carving pumpkins or a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in your home.
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Visiting an outdoor pumpkin patch, while wearing a mask and maintaining distance from others.
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Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at least 6 feet apart while wearing masks, with a very small group of neighbors or friends. Fewer people with more distance is safer.
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Having a virtual costume contest.
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Dressing up your house, apartment, living space, yard or car with Halloween decoration or decorating homes with images and objects to honor deceased loved ones
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Participating in vehicle-based gatherings that comply with state and local guidance like drive-in movies and drive-through attractions, or car/bike parades where participants do not leave their vehicles. (https://covid-19.acgov.org/covid19-assets/docs/shelter-in- place/20-12b-car-based-gatherings-eng.pdf; For more information about vehicle-based gatherings, visit https://covid-19.acgov.org/sip.page)
- Avoid driving in areas where there are pedestrians.
- Spectators should watch from their homes or yards.
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Preparing traditional family recipes with members of your household.
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Playing music in your home that your deceased loved ones enjoyed.
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Making and decorating masks or making an altar for the deceased.
MODERATE RISK: If you must
- Participating in one-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to physically distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard). Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 second before and after preparing the bags. Ensure everyone is wearing an appropriate face covering and maintaining a physical distance from others. Everyone participating should bring hand sanitizer and use it frequently AND wash their hands immediately after coming home. Candy shouldn’t be eaten while outside the home because that would require both removing the face mask and touching wrappers.
- Having a very small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade or movie night where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart and are wearing masks. Fewer people with more distance is safer.
- Enjoying themed outdoor dining that complies with state and local guidance or takeout.
HIGHER RISK: Please avoid
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Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door-to-door. Although this activity is outdoors, it is higher risk because it brings multiple people from different households together.
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Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19. Doing so can bring COVID-19 into the area and threaten the residents’ lives.
If trick-or-treating is occurring in your neighborhood and you are at home and do not want to be disturbed, you may want to post a sign or turn off your porch light.
VERY HIGH RISK: Not permitted by State and Local Orders
- Attending a crowded party held indoors or outdoors. Large gatherings, even if they are outdoors, are high risk for spreading COVID-19 and are associated with many cases throughout the Bay Area.
- Sharing, eating, drinking, speaking loudly or singing amongst others outside of your household.
- Haunted houses or indoor mazes
- Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots.
The LAVTA team is excited about their 100% electric Shared Autonomous Vehicles that will soon be carrying passengers in an innovative and environmentally friendly way! LAVTA’s goals for the shared autonomous vehicle demonstration project include:
- Provide convenient connections between LAVTA buses and BART
- Improve trip reliability and safety
- Reduce congestion and carbon emissions
Fun Facts:
- The SAV can carry up to 6 passengers
- Testing speed up to 13 miles per hour
- An attendant is on board at all times
Thinking about installing a new solar + battery backup system to increase your home's resilience to power outages? Don’t know where to start or think it’s just too expensive? East Bay Community Energy's Resilient Home program is here to help!
Alameda County has partnered with East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), the County's not-for-profit public electricity provider, to launch a solar + battery backup program for homeowners. To simplify the process of deciding if solar + battery backup is a good fit for your family EBCE has done the upfront legwork and partnered with an experienced industry provider, Sunrun. Sunrun is scheduling no-cost / obligation-free consultations and will provide a proposal for your consideration. Should you decide to move forward with your project, Resilient Home is offering a $1,250 incentive to homeowners that enroll their battery in the program and share power with EBCE during peak times when there isn’t a power outage
Since the program launched in August, more than 600 homeowners have registered to see if solar + battery backup is a good fit for their home. Sign up today for your consultation and learn more at an upcoming webinar: October 22 (12-1pm) or October 22 (6-7pm). Registration is optional!
The Alameda County Public Heath Department announced recently that starting the week of November 9, middle and high schools (7-12 grades) that complete a COVID-19 health and safety reopening plan will be permitted to open if ready. The decision and timing of when to open rests with each school and school district, and schools are not required to open. Adults responsible for children should contact their schools directly regarding their plans.
“The Public Health Department and the Health Care Services Agency are responsible for determining when it is safe to permit students and staff to return to in-person education in Alameda County,” said Dr. Nicholas Moss, Alameda County Interim Health Officer. “That does not mean all schools have the resources to be ready as soon as opening is permitted. Some schools will need more time and should open classrooms only when they and their school communities are prepared to do so.”
 Please click here in order to view the Alameda County Public Health Department's COVID-19 dashboard, as the data is updated daily.
  
 
 Resources for Homelessness
Each Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday the Shower and Laundry Ministry at Asbury United Methodist Church in Livermore provides several showers available for both men and women and Laundry Services. In addition to these services, they also offer clean underwear and socks each week as well as shower and laundry supplies as needed. Click here for more information or to support these efforts. Additionally, the City of Livermore operates a cooling center at Robert Livermore Community Center (4444 East Ave.) when the outside temperature meets or exceeds 95 degrees. City staff monitor National Weather Service reports and post to social media and on the Livermore website when cooling centers will be open. You can also call 2-1-1 to check the status of Livermore cooling centers.
The Alameda County Health Officer issued an Order requiring the use of face coverings when people are outside their homes. Per the Order, everyone over the age of 12 should wear a Face Covering when:
- outside their home and within 30 feet of anyone else other than members of their Social Bubble;
- in the workplace except when in a private space or area not regularly used by others; or
- preparing food or other items for sale or distribution to people outside their household.
Face Coverings may be removed in the following circumstances but should always be kept on hand:
- when eating or drinking alone or with members of one’s Social Bubble; or
- when alone or with members of one’s household in an outdoor area such as a park or patio, while maintaining six feet of distance from others.
Face coverings can be simple and homemade, made of cloth, fabric, or other soft or permeable material without holes, that covers the nose and mouth. Combined with physical distancing and frequent hand washing, face coverings may reduce the risk of infection posed by people who are infected and without symptoms.
The Alameda County Social Services Agency is excited about the opportunity to support our community through the Great Plates Delivered—Older Adult Meals program. Goals of the program are to be as inclusive as possible and provide the highest quality nutritious food and service to older adults (65 years and older) and other adults (60-64 years) at high risk of complications due to COVID-19. The program will provide a minimum of two nutritious meals a day (Monday through Friday) to qualified County residents. Apply for Alameda County Great Plates Delivered here.
For additional information, email ACGreatPlates@acgov.org, or call (925) 803-7943.
On June 30, 2020, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors amended its previous eviction moratorium ordinance to ensure all tenants and homeowners Countywide can shelter-in-place during this crisis. This emergency ordinance now outlaws all evictions anywhere in the County with few exceptions. The ordinance allows tenants 12 months to repay rent over 12 months. This ordinance will remain in effect until 60 days after the local health emergency is lifted or 60 days after December 31, 2020, whichever is later.
Violators are subject to a $1000 fine and may be subject to civil proceedings.
If a city has an eviction moratorium ordinance, the city ordinance can prevail to the extent the ordinance is more protective of residents.
For more information on the ordinance, please click here.
FOR TENANTS:
Legal Access Alameda
http://legalaccess.org/
510-302-2222 option 4
Centro Legal de la Raza
centrolegal.org
510-437-1554
Eviction Defense Center
www.evictiondefensecenteroakland.org
510-452-4541
East Bay Community Law Center
ebclc.org
510-548-4040
Bay Area Legal Aid
baylegal.org
888-382-3405
Asian and Pacific Islander Legal Outreach
apilegaloutreach.org
(Oakland residents only)
510-251-2846
ECHO Housing
https://www.echofairhousing.org
510-581-9380
FOR HOMEOWNERS
HERA Housing and Economic Rights Advocates
heraca.org
(510) 271-8443
The Alameda County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Care & Shelter Branch in close coordination with Alameda County Community Food Bank, 211, and cities developed a countywide interactive map that includes food distribution sites and other essential services which are currently open under the COVID-19 Shelter-In-Place Order. The map will be updated regularly and remain active for the duration of the Shelter-In-Place Order. Open Interactive Map
The Alameda County Public Health Department has formed a COVID-19 Testing Task Force to develop and implement a coordinated testing program to address disparities, ensure countywide access, and support the County’s COVID response.
Necessity of COVID-19 Testing
As there is no specific treatment for COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 testing capacity remains limited, people with mild illness should remain home until fully recovered. They should sleep in a separate room and use a separate bathroom from other household members when possible. Clean common areas regularly.
Click here for more information on testing in Alameda County.
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In addition to Alameda County, the State of California and the federal government are working to help small businesses, workers, and renters. You can read about actions the state and federal government are taking here:
Community Resources
For Faith-Based and Community-Based Organizations
For Travelers
Other Resources
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