June 2021 Supervisor Richard Valle's Newsletter

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Release Date: June 15, 2021

Supervisor's Message

d2 letterheadJune '21 Topics: Summer, Reopening, Juneteenth

Greetings,

The unofficial start of summer has brought us splendid weather over the last several weeks. The summer heat, however, brings us closer to fire season. We are in the midst of an ongoing drought which creates dangerous fire conditions. To learn more about defensible space, local CERT training, and other fire safety tips visit Alameda County Fire Department's Emergency Preparedness webpage. You can also learn more about tips for the dry season here

We continue to make progress toward President Biden’s COVID “Independence Day” on July 4. In Alameda County, over 75% of residents age 16+ have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. If you aren’t vaccinated or haven’t completed your vaccination series, drop in to our community based sites or make an appointment to protect from COVID-19 and bring us closer to our nation's vaccination goal. The State’s Vax for the Win incentive program has already given out several perks including $50 gift cards for the first 2 million vaccinations after May 27, 2021 and drawings to win $50,000. Ten Californians over the age of 12 who have had at least one dose of the vaccine will win $1.5 million each at the grand prize drawing on June 15, 2021.

On June 8th, the Board of Supervisors approved the Board Letter authored by Supervisor Miley and I directing county staff to prepare a report on creating Juneteenth as a paid county holiday. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas, to declare the end of the Civil War and issue the order to free the remaining slaves in Texas. This was 30 months and 19 days after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official on January 1, 1863. This historic moment and the ensuing celebration was coined “Juneteenth” and would serve as ongoing motivation to recount memories and focus on education and self-improvement. Alameda County will join Santa Clara County as the only two California counties to take this action. 

Join me this month in celebrating the approaching summer season and economic reopening; in reflecting on the impacts and recovery from a once in a century global pandemic; and in embracing the opportunities to better understand the diverse culture and history of the people who, together, make up our United States. As we approach the Fourth of July and increased summer activities, please be safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Richard Valle

Spotlight: Chabot College

Genevieve Randolph at Chabot College

For this issue of the District 2 newsletter, we interviewed Genevieve Randolph, President of Chabot College's Board of Directors, to learn about what the school year has been like during the pandemic. 

District 2: Can you please introduce yourself and your role at Chabot.

Genevieve Randolph: My background is in education; I retired from K-12 education and community college has always been an interest of mine. I've been on the board since 2017 and this year I am board president. I'm very happy with the board's values, especially professional development. We spend a lot of time attending seminars and getting more professional development around board governance and everything related to the college. We're still continuing our professional development during the pandemic through seminars online. 

D2: Tell us a bit about Chabot.

GR: I'm pleased to say that Chabot College was recently ranked the third best community college in California from the Academic Influence which is a college ranking system. We're also ranked 19th nation wide. Many of our students at Chabot pursue associates degrees or certificates for career advancements. But the majority of the students are there pursuing a bachelor's degree. We have about 10,000 active students. 

D2: What programs do you have at Chabot?

GR: We have a many programs to help our students that I'm very excited about. We have a concurrent enrollment program where high school students can attend and take college courses. There are a year to career certificate program where students can come for a certificate in various career interest they may have. We have international students program which we're well known for.  The nursing program is also well known. Another interesting program that we have is the Restorative, Integrated, Self-Education (RISE) program which is a program for previously incarcerated individuals. 

D2: How has covid-19 affected the school year?

GR: The faculty, staff, and students worked together on the transition from face-to-face learning to online learning. It went smoothly. I applaud the college staff and faculty for being so focused in their efforts for getting through this. What the college did for the students was they created a technology loan program where the students received laptops, hotspots, and wifi access. There were also some grants available to students to help them get through this difficult time - if they needed help with paying rent, or for any other personal needs. Another support that we had for them during the pandemic was food pantry so students and families could come and get food. Food and security was a concern expressed by the students. Online counseling was also available as it has been a stressful time for everyone with the uncertainty. The instructors also had online office hours. So we tried to make it as convenient as could be for the students. There were some classes that were difficult to do online that continued face-to-face with safety precautions in place - nursing program, EMT, welding were still done face-to-face. 

D2:  What are the plans for reopening?

GR: The district created a task force which is comprised of instructors, student services staff, administrative managers; they were charged with making recommendations on the transition back to face to face learning. Safety of the students, faculty, and staff is priority. Our goal is to have Spring 2022 as our all in person classes. 

D2: Why is community college a good option for students?

GR: Community College is a great opportunity, especially for high school students to get some of the courses out of the way. If finance is a problem for some families, this is a good start. It's a good place. There's something for everyone. There are many programs and many groups for different cultures and different races. 

Chabot College is taking enrollment for Fall 2021. Learn more at http://www.chabotcollege.edu/

Beyond the Blueprint

Beyond the Blueprint

CDPH has updated the Beyond the Blueprint Framework for California’s June 15 reopening.

Beginning June 15, all industry and business sectors listed in the Blueprint Activities and Business Tiers Chart may return to usual operations with no capacity limits or physical distancing requirements, with limited exceptions for mega events.

Alameda County will hold two virtual Beyond the Blueprint public update meetings to provide the latest industry guidance and answer questions.

Alameda County Affordable Housing Application Portal

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The “Doorway” Housing Portal is a new, centralized, open-source housing applications and listings platform that we have been working on since Fall 2019 with our development partner Exygy.

Additional Background

After launching the Portal in April 2020, we have built out the following features, with additional product functionality currently under development through June 30, 2021: 

  • Common pre-application for affordable rental housing, available as both a PDF for download and a digital application, created by working with affordable housing developers, cities, and housing counselors on a common set of fields necessary to start the affordable housing application process.
  • Equitable access: Applications are available both in digital format and for download in English, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. After submission each applicant receives a confirmation email with an application confirmation number.  
  • Listings for eight affordable rental housing properties from both nonprofit affordable housing developers building 100% affordable housing projects and private developers building Below Market Rate rental housing. Listings are displayed in English, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
  • Partners Portal interface for affordable housing developers enabling them to log-in and see a list of all applications in real time, export lists, see application details, add paper applications, edit paper applications, sort on all application fields, apply search filters to applications table, and apply preference buckets to application rankings. 
  • Analytics report to check in real time critical metrics of the Portal.

We have conducted extensive outreach to ensure that the tools under development for the Portal are both useful and functional. Seventeen workshops and steering committees have been convened so far with nearly 40 groups represented, comprised of cities in the County, affordable housing developers, housing agencies, service providers, housing counselors, nonprofit stakeholders, and housing applicants. We have also conducted user research and testing to develop enhancements to the Portal based on user feedback, expectations, and insights.

Our affordable housing pipeline for adding new listings to the Portal over the coming months is strong. We currently have 5 affordable housing developments that we will be adding to the Portal in the coming 3 months comprised of 106 affordable rental units. Four out of the 5 properties are Measure A1-funded. In addition, we are convening a working group of cities in Alameda County to develop a uniform approach to compiling pipeline data of Below Market Rate rental units and discussing other BMR related topics.

Public interest in the Portal is also strong as demonstrated by website traffic. At the launch of a new Below Market Rate listing in Hayward on March 10, 2021, the Portal received approximately 20,000-page views. For context, the AC Housing Choices website receives approximately 10,000-page views per month. Nearly eighty percent of the Portal’s visitors are new, indicating that interest in the Portal is growing. The listing itself has received approximately 5,000 views. In less than a week, 867 applications have been submitted through the Portal’s new common digital application developed for use on the Portal. We are also working with the City of Hayward to provide on-going technical support in assisting applicants.

Virtual Scholarship Awards Celebration for the Hispanic Community Affairs Council

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The Hispanic Community Affairs Council is very honored and proud to be able to continue their scholarship awards celebration this year. Given the current circumstances, they will be conducting this year's event virtually

Please join in celebrating The Hispanic Community Affairs Council scholarship awardees on Wednesday, June 16 at 5:30 pm, see attached flyer for details. You can also visit their website HERE to register for the event.

Vaccine Eligibility opens to 12 to 15 year-olds

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Starting May 12, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was approved for children, ages 12 to 15, which Alameda County Health Officer Dr. Nicholas Moss highlighted as an important next step in the effort to end the COVID-19 pandemic.  “Vaccinating children has helped eradicate many diseases in our modern world and will help us end the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Moss said last week.  “Expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to younger children means we can increase the amount of protection our communities have from this deadly disease.” To have a child vaccinated, the Alameda County Public Health Department recommends:

  • Visit https://myturn.ca.gov/ to find clinics and pharmacies that are offering the Pfizer vaccine and have appointments for patients 12 and older.
  • Reach out to your personal health-care provider to ask when they will begin vaccinating 12-15 year-olds.
  • Alameda County Fairgrounds, Stanford Children’s Health, drive-through only, Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, through the hospital Oakland Outpatient Center, 742 52nd Street, Oakland, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Saturday appointments potentially added later.  To schedule an appointment, parents and caregivers should call (415) 514-1196, Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Family days at Alameda County community vaccination sites, including the Hayward Adult School, 22100 Princeton Street, Hayward, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Fremont High School of Oakland gym, 4610 Foothill Blvd., Oakland, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and the Decoto School for Independent Study, 725 Whipple Road, Union City, Fridays, 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  To schedule an appointment, parents and caregivers can go online here or call (510) 208-4829.

COVID-19 vaccines are available for free to everyone, 12 years of age and older, regardless of place of residence or immigration status. Alameda County residences who have not received a vaccination are encouraged to call (510) 208-4829 or go online here. 

“This is the next phase of vaccination and the next steps towards normalcy,” said Dr. Kathleen Clanon, Alameda County Health Care Services Agency medical director and clinical lead for vaccine administration.  “We must not lose momentum in our efforts to reach every resident with the opportunity to get vaccinated.”

Transformative Pathways Program

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What is Transformative Pathways?

Transformative Pathway is a career and leadership development program for individuals who are 1) formerly incarcerated, and/or 2) impacted by the war on drugs. This program includes job and life skills training, college-based vocational training, career and academic coaching, job placement, cash incentives, and more. Transformative Pathways is a collaboration between Urban Strategies Council and Bay Area Community Resources.

What will you gain from the program?

You will be provided a career coach, up to $2500 in incentives, valuable job, career, academic and life skills, job placement, and wrap-around support.

Applicants must be:
18 to 30 years old
A high school graduate
Currently Unemployed

Phase 1: Intake, Assessment, and Enrollment
Duration: 1-2 weeks
You will complete an intake, various assessments, review the expectations of the program, be assigned a career coach, be assigned a case manager (if applicable), and submit documentation to complete enrollment.

Phase 2: Job Readiness and Leadership Training
Duration: 2 months
In a cohort-based setting, you will meet multiple times weekly to complete various training that focuses on your personal and professional development. Training is interactive and will cover topics that consist of but are not limited to active listening, time management, restorative justice, community empowerment, leadership development, and other related topics.

Phase 3: Vocational Training, Post-Secondary Education, and/or Permanent Employment
You will enroll in a program within Transportation Distribution and Logistics that provides hands-on work experience and training to receive credentialing and certification in the TDL field. In addition, you will engage in on-going sessions with a career to secure permanent employment. 

Apply Here

Registration open for virtual Junior Giants Summer Baseball

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Registration is now open for an all-virtual version of the annual Junior Giants Summer Baseball program supported by Hayward Police Department.  Sign up today for a free Junior Giants Digital Dugout account at https://jrgiantsathome.org/ or by downloading the Junior Giants app.   For nearly 20 years, the Hayward Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Bureau (YFSB), in partnership with the San Francisco Giants Community Fund, has hosted the Junior Giants Summer Baseball program, giving thousands of Hayward youth the opportunity to learn basic baseball skills, as well as important character building and life skills in a fun, non-competitive environment.  Boys and girls ages 5-14 are given the opportunity to play baseball, while focusing on the four bases of character development: confidence, teamwork, leadership and integrity.  There is also additional programming that encourages healthy eating, violence prevention and the importance of education.   The Junior Giants program was originally created to give youth an alternative to drugs, gangs and crime, and the Hayward league has provided exactly this opportunity.  Beyond baseball, players have gotten to enjoy positive interactions with Hayward School Resource Officers, who were their coaches and are sworn police officers with specialized expertise in working with youth.   Though in-person play won’t take place in Hayward this summer, there are still lots of ways to stay active and involved.  Virtual programming can be enjoyed with a free Digital Dugout Membership, which grants access to the following:  

  • Junior Giants at Home (launching June 1)
  • Junior Giants on Demand (accessible anytime)
  • Giants on the Go (coming soon)

  Even though Hayward won’t have Junior Giants play in our city this season, opportunities to play in-person may exist in another league nearby.  Find a league near you at https://jrgiantsathome.org/page/2975/register/12884/register.  Registration is open now until July 31.    Whether at home or on the field in another city (or both!), the Hayward Junior Giants team wishes you a healthy and safe summer!  We hope to be back in 2022.

Asthma Summer Camp Superstuff

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This summer, Breathe California of the Bay Area will hold a “hybrid” annual week-long asthma day camp, Camp Superstuff, online AND in person. Virtual sessions with education and fun activities every day will be supplemented with Meet-Up Field-Trips. Camp Superstuff is designed for children 6-12 years of age suffering from asthma. To learn more visit here. 

What Happens at Camp Superstuff?

When you enroll in Virtual Camp Superstuff, you enroll in a community program that puts your child’s asthma education first. Camp Superstuff is designed for asthmatic children ages 6 to 12 and utilizes trained staff that teaches important techniques on how to manage asthma and allergies, which includes:

  • Understanding different aspects of asthma management
  • Recognizing asthma/allergy triggers, and warning signs of asthma attacks
  • Knowing how/when to take medications
  • Learning how to stay active with asthma and allergies

In addition to offering a supportive educational environment, we will also provide children with a variety of activities to take part in virtually (online) like fitness classes (Zumba), arts and crafts and, scavenger hunts. In-person activities will vary, but may include meeting and having fun at youth-oriented amusement centers, bowling, ice skating, or miniature golf, including picnics for participants and their families.

Campers must have a medical care provider’s current approval to participate in in-person events.

Benefits

Children who attend the camp see improvements in school performance, build higher self-esteem and learn to manage their symptoms of asthma. Campers learn to socialize with others who suffer from the same illness, ultimately creating peer-to-peer relationships. By better learning to manage their condition, children experience fewer hospital visits and missed school days, opening the door to a more successful education and greater opportunities in the future.

Engaging in fun camp activities also helps children build self-esteem and confidence in their abilities. Children are encouraged to participate in activities at their own pace and desired level of participation. Join us this summer, or call us at to learn more!

For more information, kindly contact Kiran Kaur at kiran@lungsrus.org.

Second Annual Ohana Health Walk

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Join Bay Area Community Health and the Fremont School District for some virtual summer fun! Walk or run anytime during the week. Track your steps or miles on their website.

Virtual Livestream 

11am to Noon 

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Click here for more information

PG&E Financial Assistance and Support for their Customers

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Are you among the many Californians who are struggling in these difficult times? PG&E has many financial assistance programs that offer solutions for paying past-due energy bills now, and additional support programs that provide guidance on reducing household expenses in the future.

You may qualify for several programs at once. You can begin applying or enrolling now. Please visit their website here

Need Help Managing Your Expenses?

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Get a FREE financial consultation from a Financial Navigator who can help identify immediate action steps and make referrals to other programs and services saving you hours of research!
The City of Fremont, in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Oakland, is providing phone-based financial navigation services to help residents deal with the financial impact of
COVID-19. Open to all Alameda County residents.

Sign Up for your FREE Financial Consultation Today!

1. Scan the QR Code with your camera, visit https://finnav.org/alameda
or call the Fremont Family Resource Center at 510.574.2000.
2. A Financial Navigator will call you within 48 hours for your 30-minute
consultation.
What Happens During Your Phone Session?
A Financial Navigator will ask you questions about your concerns. Some examples might be:
• Prioritizing payments for housing, food and insurance
• Managing debt and negotiations with creditors
• Maximizing income through cash assistance, emergency loans, unemployment or short-term
disability.
Together you will prioritize concerns, expenses, identify next steps and the Navigator will connect you
to financial resources and programs.

Please note – Financial Navigators do not provide financial assistance like cash or loans.

Complete the form here to request a phone session with a Financial Navigator. 

Parenting During COVID-19 Weekly Virtual Support Group for Parents and Caregivers of Youth

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Fremont's Youth and Family Services has developed a Support Group to address and explore the ways in which COVID-19 has impacted families.

English: Tuesdays, 6 – 7:30pm

Spanish: Wednesdays, 6 – 7:30pm

Download the flyer in English or Spanish

To register for either group, visit www.fremont.gov/3060/Caregiver-Support

For more information call (510) 574-2100 or

Email: YFS@fremont.gov