Office of Council President Pro Tem Barbara Bry
San Diego City Council
District 1

May 28, 2020
Contact: Moriah Gaynor
mgaynor@sandiego.gov
C: (619) 207-8616

May 28, 2020: COVID-19 News Update

Dear Neighbors,    

Tomorrow, May 29, beginning at 10 a.m., after 18 long months of negotiations from which the public and the Council have been excluded, the City Council will finally be hearing and voting on the Purchase and Sale Agreement of the Mission Valley site to San Diego State as required by Measure G which the voters approved in November 2018.

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our city requires SDSU to build a beautiful river park, a multi-purpose stadium, affordable housing and educational facilities.  SDSU is paying fair market value of $87 million for this land at a time the city faces enormous revenue declines.  In addition, taxpayers will no longer be paying for the $1 million per month of expenses to operate the site.

I have been an advocate for this project since day one, and now I urge all of you to stand beside me in saying this deal must happen. Please contact your councilmember to let them know your opinion, and/or submit public comment tomorrow during the meeting by dialing 619-541-6310, entering the access code "877861" and then pressing ‘#’.

With gratitude,

Council President Pro Tem  

“How’s Small Business?” Social Media Feature Series
Last week I was sad to hear about the permanent closure of one of San Diego’s favorite restaurants, Whisknladle in La Jolla. For more than a dozen years, Arturo Kassel’s eatery featured some of the best “farm to table” comfort food in San Diego.  It closed because the owners could not see a viable path forward in a post-coronavirus world.

Although Catania, the family’s other restaurant, remains open, the grim reality is that more restaurants and other small businesses will not survive this pandemic.  These businesses are an important part of our economy and our community.  They are make San Diego and our neighborhoods unique.

That’s why I’m launching “How’s Small Business?” Over the next few weeks, my Facebook page will feature a different D1 business speaking candidly about its struggles during this unprecedented time. Look for it among upcoming posts on my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (BarbaraBryD1) accounts.  

Restaurants are now permitted to offer onsite dining—an important step in re-opening our economy. Please familiarize yourself with safety restriction related to eating out for the sake of your safety as well as those around you.

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District News
Recommendation to Close Stretches of Wall Street and Avenida de la Playa to Vehicles in La Jolla
Council President Pro Tem Bry solicited the Village Merchants Association’s request to close Wall Street between Girard and the Old Post Office, and Avenida de la Playa between El Paseo Grande and Calle de la Plata and shared this request with Mayor Faulconer.  

Closing these streets to cars will provide restaurants with outside dining areas that will allow them to serve more customers while adhering to new seat spacing regulations.  

Recommendation for Slow Streets in La Jolla
The Council President Pro Tem shared the La Jolla Community Planning Association’s recommendation for areas along Coast Blvd and Hillside Drive to be considered for the Slow Street program by Mayor Faulconer.  

City News
5/26 Mayor, City Attorney to Use Transformed Motel to Help Homeless Families  
Mayor Faulconer and City Attorney Elliott announced plans to use a transformed Super 8 motel in the Egger Highlands community to temporarily serve families and children experiencing homelessness amid COVID-19.  

Press release here.  

5/21 San Diego Scientists Making Headway in Global Effort to Treat COVID-19  
As San Diego continues to flatten the curve and begins to safely reopen restaurant dining and in-store shopping, in his daily conference, the Mayor highlighted the encouraging progress the local life-science industry is making in the global effort to develop treatments and vaccines to combat COVID-19.

Press release here.

5/20 San Diego’s Small Business Relief Fund to Top $20 Million
The Mayor proposed resources be made available to San Diego small businesses to top $20 million by allocating $13 million in federal CARES Act funding to help small businesses get back on their feet.

Council President Pro Tem (CPPT) and Budget Review Committee Chair Bry supported this move in her budget priority memo, with some proposed requirements.  Please see CPPT Bry’s budget priorities memorandum here.

Press release here.

5/19 Mayor Boosts Childcare, Housing for Homeless and Small Businesses in Budget Update
The Mayor released an updated Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal, often referred to as the May Revise. In response, Council President Pro Tem (CPPT) and Budget Review Committee Chair Bry
Issued a final budget priority memorandum.  

Council President Pro Tem Bry’s memorandum demands zero cuts to neighborhood services like  libraries, recreation centers, code enforcement and tree trimming. Please see her memorandum here.

Updated version of the Mayor’s FY21 budget proposal here. Press release here.

The Office of the Independent Budget Analyst will release its final report on recommended City Council modifications to the Mayor’s Proposed FY 2021 Budget and May Revision on June 3, and Council will vote to approve the budget shortly thereafter.

County News
Information for Reopening Offices
Those seeking information on office openings should visit this website to review the necessary safety requirements. Please note that workplaces will need to complete a Safe Reopening Plan, post it at the office location and distribute it to employees.

If you have specific questions that are not covered in the plan or online resource, please email Covid19businessquestions@sdcounty.ca.gov.

5/26 - Places of Worship, Hair Salons and Barbershops Can Open with Modifications  
Houses of worship, hair salons and barbershops can all resume services, but must implement a variety of safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today. All must complete and post the County’s Safe Reopening Plan before opening.

Article here.

5/26 - Changes to Health Order
The County also announced several additional changes to its public health order today. Going forward, all businesses will have to implement temperature and health screenings for employees. Businesses must also ensure that all employees wear facial coverings and maintain physical distancing.

Article here.

5/22- County to Offer COVID-19 Testing in Rural Communities, Other Areas
The County will be opening sites in rural communities and other areas of the region. New locations will be staffed with first responders from CAL FIRE and the San Diego County Fire Authority.

Drive-up testing sites will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in five rural communities. An appointment is necessary, and you can make one by calling 2-1-1. The sites will be on:  

• May 26: Julian Library, 1850 Highway 78, Julian, CA 92036  
• May 27: Pine Valley Fire Station 44 (OLD), 28850 Old Highway 80, Pine Valley, CA 91962  
• May 28: Valley Center Library, 29200 Cole Grade Road, Valley Center, CA 92082  
• May 29: Borrego Springs Library, 2580 Country Club Road, Borrego Springs, CA 92004  
• May 30: Potrero Library, 24883 Potrero Valley Road, Potrero, CA 91963  

Article here.

5/20- Face Coverings to Be Required When Restaurants, Stores Open
Health officials want people to know that face coverings and physical distancing are required when entering reopened businesses.  

Article here.

Current Cases in San Diego County
As of 5 p.m. 5/27:  

• Total Cases in San Diego County: 6,0983
  
• 0-9 years: 108 cases  
• 10-19 years: 283 case  
• 20-29 years: 1,205 cases  
• 30-39 years: 1,319 cases  
• 40-49 years: 1,116 cases  
• 50-59 years: 1,241 cases  
• 60-69 years: 788 cases  
• 70-79 years: 478 cases  
• 80+ years: 441 cases  
• Age unknown: 4  
• Hospitalized Cases: 1,271
• Intensive Care Cases: 377
• Deaths: 255

Source here.  

State News
5/22 -  Governor Newsom Launches California Connected – California’s Contact Tracing Program and Public Awareness Campaign
Governor Newsom launched California Connected, the state’s comprehensive contact tracing program and public awareness campaign.  

As part of California Connected, public health workers from communities across the state will connect with individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and work with them, and people they have been in close contact with, to ensure they have access to confidential testing, as well as medical care and other services to help prevent the spread of the virus.

Press release here.

5/19 -  Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order on Actions in Response to COVID-19
Governor Newsom issued an executive order addressing a variety of issues in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order:

• helps ease the strain on domestic violence service providers by waiving the 10 percent cash or in-kind matching requirements for state grants awarded to these organizations.  
• waives the deadline to verify grade point average and waives certain certification requirements and selective service registration verification for Cal Grant applicants.  
• suspends programmatic deadlines for entities that receive funding from the Energy Commission for the development and deployment of new technologies that support the state’s clean energy and decarbonization goals.  
• extends the timeframe for local governments to submit claims for reimbursement to the State Controller’s Office.  

A copy of the order can be found here. Press release here.

Local Resources
Children Who Received Free or Reduced-Price Meals at School are Eligible for up to $365 of Pandemic-EBT
Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) will provide families with a debit card, preloaded with $365 per eligible child, so they can buy groceries while school is closed due to COVID-19. P-EBT was developed for families with children that would normally receive free or reduced price breakfast or lunch at school.

Families of students who receive CalFresh, Medi-Cal or Foster Care services will automatically receive this card in the mail by May 25th. If a student receiving one of these services doesn’t get their card in the mail by May 25, please call (877) 328-9677. All other families with students who were receiving free or reduced-price breakfast or lunch will need to apply at www.ca.p-ebt.org by June 30th to receive benefits.

6/3 at 2 p.m. Webinar: Leading Effectively Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Join co-hosts Dr. Undraye Howard and Dr. Sheryl White as they facilitate a discussion on ethical, health and legal factors that must be considered to successfully led, reopen, and deliver services amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Special guests include Dwight Smith, Legal Counsel/GM at the Neighborhood House Association in San Diego, CA, Dr. Suzanne Afflalo, Medical Director for the Alliance Health Clinic in San Diego, CA, and Dr. Durryle Brooks, Research Associate at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology.

Zoom link here.

SDG&E Assistance for Business Customers  
SDG&E is taking steps to provide assistance to business customers during this time, here a few resources available to business customers affected by COVID:

• Payment Arrangements for Utility Bills - If a business customer is having difficulty paying their energy bill, they can request a payment arrangement online through “My Account” or at 1-800-336-7343. Late payment fees for business customers have also been waived for customers affected by COVID.
• Checking Small Businesses are on the Right Rate Plan - With businesses closed for several months, energy usage may have decreased and provide an opportunity to be on a different rate that may potentially lower the utility bill. To find the right plan, small businesses can view our pricing plan comparison in “My Account” or by calling 1-800-336-7343.
• Finding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - SDG&E has put together a list of PPE suppliers with some located locally to support the local economy.
• Customer Assistance Programs - Those who recently lost their job, even if they are receiving unemployment benefits, may be eligible for SDG&E’s Customer Assistance Programs. More information here.  
• Supplier Quick Pay Program (SQPP) for SDG&E suppliers - Qualified small businesses with direct contracts with SDG&E could improve their cash flow and working capital and get paid faster. To qualify, please complete this enrollment form.

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Upcoming Events

5/29 at 10 a.m.
SDSU West Special Council

6/2 at 9 a.m.
City Council Meeting

6/3 at 8 p.m.
Next COVID-19 Newsletter

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Government Resources

CA Dept. of Public Health

CDC

City of San Diego

Council District 1 Guide

County of San Diego

Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

State of California COVID-19 Resource

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Testing Information

County Testing Sites
Physician referral and appointment via 2-1-1 required.

Live Well Center at Chula Vista, 690 Oxford Street, Chula Vista, CA 91911  

SDCCU Stadium

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State Managed Sites
Appointment needed via https://lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m..

Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Dr., El Cajon, CA 92020  

Former Sears in Chula Vista, 565 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91910  

North Inland Live Well Center in Escondido, 649 W Mission Ave., Escondido, CA 92025

Tubman-Chavez Center at 415 Euclid Avenue, San Diego, CA

San Diego County Assessor Office at 200 S. Magnolia Avenue, El Cajon, CA

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Kaiser Permanente
Call 1-833-KP4CARE (1-833-574-2273) (TTY 711) to talk to a licensed care provider 24/7

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Scripps Health Nurses Line
888-261-8431

7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mon - Fri, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat - Sun

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SHARP Healthcare Nurses Line
1-800-827-4277

Mon - Fri, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat - Sun

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UCSD Health COVID-19 Nurses Line  
800-926-8273

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day