Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As we continue on with our Stay at Home, Stay Safe order, I hope you are all doing well and managing to cope as best as possible.
As you may already know, we have some promising news reflected in a University of Washington model that indicates that King County has passed the peak of increasing COVID-19 cases and deaths. Hopefully, the trend continues but we know we are not out of the woods yet. We must continue to adhere to the stay home, stay safe orders to truly maintain this downward trend. Right now, 8.5% of statewide COVID-19 tests have been confirmed positive. Like you, I’m looking forward to this number being reduced significantly over the next couple of months. We must stay positive and try and focus on the light at the end of the tunnel.
At today’s meeting of the King County Council, the motion I sponsored with Councilmember Zahilay calling on Gov. Jay Inslee to freeze rent payments and urging federal lawmakers and the Trump Administration to impose an immediate moratorium on rent and mortgage payments was referred to the Committee of the Whole for further deliberation.
While the King County Council doesn’t have the authority to halt rent and mortgage payments, state and federal officials do. And it’s important to note we need both to happen, for renters who otherwise may not be able to pay their rents and for small property owners who would not be able to pay their mortgages otherwise.
This resolution allows us to amplify the voices of our constituents and add the King County Council to a larger national movement — a movement for providing the greatest forms of economic relief in existence: keeping people housed and keeping small businesses alive. You can read the joint statement I issued earlier today with Councilmember Zahilay by clicking the following link: https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/news/2020/April/4-14-jkw-gz-statement-rent-freeze.aspx
Our motion has been referred to the Council’s Committee of the Whole which will meet remotely next Tuesday, April 21st, at 1 p.m.
The rest of this e-newsletter is meant to provide you with an update on some of the other issues on which I’ve been working as well as on helpful information related to the COVID-19 crisis. As always, I would like to hear from you. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions or comments.
All the best,
Latest numbers from Public Health
As of this update, Public Health is reporting 71 new positive cases of COVID-19 in King County (4,620 total) and 7 new COVID-19 related deaths (303 total). Clearly, and hopefully not temporarily, we seem to be flattening the curve.
Detailed information about demographics of those who died from COVID-19 are available on Public Health’s data dashboard. And, interestingly, you can click on your zip code to learn of the number of “positive” cases and fatalities where you reside. For zip codes in District Four, there have been 506 positive cases and 37 related deaths as of April 13.
Also, and again, here is an excellent website that offers real-time COVID-19 data in clear formats, broken down by country and state: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
COVID-19 Community Response Fund
In early March, we approved a suite of emergency legislation proposed by King County Executive Dow Constantine to aid in the County’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The package included $1 million for the Office of Equity and Social Justice (OESJ) to provide flexible resources for engagement and outreach to populations on the frontlines of the outbreak. Investments have been made in language access and in an Anti-Hate and Bias Fund, with the vast majority committed to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund.
So far, a total of $800K in grants has been awarded to 39 applicants. Nearly 100 applications were received in under two weeks following announcement of the COVID-19 Community Response Fund on March 18.
King County has also awarded $1 million to provide language access and other COVID-19 services to frontline community groups. You can read more by clicking the following link: https://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/constantine/news/release/2020/April/13-covid19-community-grants.aspx
Additional helpful and informative links
KC Council COVID-19 resource page
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to visit the Council’s COVID-19 outbreak resource page. With the recent closures and event cancellations, the financial burdens of the COVID-19 outbreak can be felt throughout all of King County. We’ve put together some resources that may help you and your family stay afloat during these tough times. These resources contain information on how to file for unemployment or workers’ comp; help with paying utilities, rent, and mortgages; issues with insurance; food assistance; and much more. Click the following link to access the website: https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/gethelp.aspx
Today's moment of levity
You have to laugh at this video of a pair of dogs who might be a little tired of being stuck inside together. I think a lot of us have similar feelings. Self-isolation and quarantine can be stressful and it’s hard to have such a drastic change to our daily routines. Remember to stay positive and get fresh air and exercise when possible. Click the link to enjoy the video: https://youtu.be/PwYJ0CO-_uk
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my update. You can expect ones to continue being sent out on a daily basis, sometimes more than one. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here.
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And please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns and, most importantly, be well.
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