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Thank you Chandan St Clare, Area 2 – Universal City & Cahuenga Pass Chair for the notes. We have taken utmost care to provide accurate information. However please watch the full briefing video if you are interested in learning all the details, and to hear the Q & A sessions with the mayor. If you have any questions about the notes please contact: [email protected]
Mayor Garcetti announces modifications to Safer at Home order
Mayor Garcetti, together with L.A. County, announced that the City will begin the process of slow and gradual adjustments to the Safer at Home order.
Starting May 8th, florists, toy stores, music stores, bookstores, clothing and sporting goods stores may offer curbside pickup only. Car dealership showrooms are also permitted to open.
Starting May 9th, Angelenos can return to golf courses, trailhead parks and trails â except Runyon Canyon, which will remain closed. Face coverings are required for anyone using trails or golf courses.
And starting May 11th, all riders on DASH, Commuter Express, and Cityride buses will be required to wear protective face coverings. In addition, all travelers at LAX will be required to wear face coverings to help us save lives and slow the spread of COVID-19.
The gradual relaxing of restrictions will require the patience, persistence and partnership of residents, businesses, workers, government representatives, and public health officials. Because until there is a vaccine or effective treatment, COVID-19 will remain a threat to everyone. You still need to stay home, wear face coverings, and refrain from gatherings with anyone who doesnât live in your home. These measures remain as important as ever.
To learn more, including about the public health indicators that will drive decision-making about when to loosen or tighten restrictions over the coming year, see the Safer L.A. website.
Businesses allowed to open for curbside pick-up can find guidance here.
Mayor Garcetti launches effort to provide free legal services to Angelenos facing hardships caused by the pandemic
Mayor Garcetti and City Attorney Feuer announced the launch of L.A. Represents to provide free legal services to L.A. residents facing hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
L.A. Represents is a coalition of law firms, bar associations, and legal aid organizations that have agreed to enhance their existing pro bono commitments to provide COVID-19-related legal services â including helping vulnerable tenants, domestic violence victims, and low-income Angelenos with employment, consumer debt, and bankruptcy matters.
L.A. Represents will also build a new support system for small businesses devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, overseen by volunteers and advocates at Bet Tzedek Legal Services. Now, small businesses least likely to have access to effective legal services can receive pro bono assistance as they confront new workplace regulations, renegotiate commercial leases, apply for government relief programs, and navigate compliance with emergency health and safety orders.
Angelenos needing assistance and legal professionals interested in joining the partnership can find detailed information at coronavirus.lacity.org/LARepresents.
Mayor Garcetti announces expansion of senior meals program employing laid-off hospitality and restaurant workers
On April 15, Mayor Garcetti launched the Emergency Senior Meals Response program to deliver packaged and frozen meals to older Angelenos who are homebound as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The program has both increased the number of seniors being served, and provided additional meals to those already enrolled in meal programs with the Cityâs senior centers. Altogether, 120,000 meals are being delivered to 12,000 seniors every week.
Now, Mayor Garcetti is expanding the Emergency Senior Meals Response program through FEMA and State dollars made available through Governor Newsomâs statewide program to enlist local restaurants in the effort to provide older and high-risk Californians with prepared meals as they stay safer at home.
For 10 weeks, the program will deliver 10 meals a week to eligible seniors in need. To qualify, you must be 65 or over, or 60-64 with an underlying medical condition, live in the City of Los Angeles, and not be enrolled currently in another meal program (e.g., Meals on Wheels, CalFresh, etc.). Seniors or their caregivers can check to see if they are eligible by calling the Emergency Senior Meals Response Hotline at (213) 263-5226. The hotline is open 7 days a week, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. You can also find more information and enroll here.
Partners in this program include the Hospitality Training Academy, an L.A.-based workforce and training organization, created by Unite HERE Local 11, that trains and develops workers in the food service and hospitality industries. Taxicab drivers will do point-to-point delivery of senior meals, picking up meals directly from restaurants or Hospitality Training Academy sites and dropping them off at peopleâs homes. Restaurants that are interested in participating in the program and preparing meals for seniors can learn more here.
Partnership launched to provide meals to Angelenos with disabilities
Mayor Garcetti announced a new partnership with FOX Corporation to provide free meals to individuals with disabilities across Los Angeles.
Through this initiative, 2,000 meals will be delivered five days a week for the next month to individuals and families identified by the Cityâs Department on Disability, the California Department of Rehabilitation, and 20 community-based organizations that serve individuals with disabilities across L.A.
The meals will be prepared by the FOX Corporation food service team on the FOX lot in Cheviot Hills, and delivered to a hub at one of our public library branches, where drivers from Access Services will pick them up and bring them directly to the Angelenos who need them.
And in the weeks and months to come, the City will continue to build a network of meal and grocery delivery services as part of our larger effort to address food insecurity and access for people with disabilities.
L.A. County is home to more than a million individuals with disabilities ââ 26 percent of whom live in poverty, and more than 40 percent of whom live in households that are food insecure.
- 521 new LA county cases, total now 4566. This is a 13% increase
- 11 new deaths in LA county, total now 89. This is 14% increase
- Across the county in our general emergency hospitals, we have 1627 available beds, including 286 ICU beds, and 890 available ventilators
2) Testing
- 16,000 tests have been administered so far
- We now have a total of 12 LA city and county testing sites
- 25,000 people have been tested by other providers, a total of 41,000 people have been tested so far
- Next week we expect to conduct 30,000 more tests by all available testing sites
- You do not have to be living in the city of LA to be tested. Testing is not just for LA city residents
- Go to coronavirus.LACity.org to see if you are eligible, and to sign up for a test
- Wear non-medical face coverings to prevent the spread of virus
- Do not use surgical masks or N95 masks – we are short in supply and these must be kept for healthcare and medical workers’ use
- CDC also recommends wearing a face covering in public to prevent getting sick, and getting others sick Click here to learn from the US Surgeon General on how to make your own face covering  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html
- We are giving a two-week print at home permit, that will be emailed to you. Print and place in your car while the new permit is on the way
- If you have an old permit, you have a two-week grace period after it expires
- Seeking funds from DC to help small businesses
- CARES Act: Whatâs in it for Small Businesses, the Self-Employed and Gig Workers https://sbecouncil.org/2020/03/30/whats-in-the-cares-act-for-small-businesses-the-self-employed-and-gig-workers/
- 50 million coming this week from Housing & Urban Development, including 31 million for Community Development
- Thirteenth bridge home shelter for unhoused Angelenos will open at the VA
- Tonight 140 new beds will be available in 3 new rec centers
- Nearly 700 beds are now available but we expect 95% to be filled almost right away
- Partnership with YMCA – 9 facilities are available for showers, use the bathroom etc
- Increasing sanitation on the streets, have put out a dozen portable toilets on Skid Row
- 11 leases and 780 hotel and motel rooms available for isolation for unhoused Angelenos
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- Go to Volunteer.LAMayor.org and click on non-profit directory to be matched up with opportunities
- Donate to the Mayor’s Fund at https://mayorsfundla.org
- Every dollar goes directly to a needy family or seniors to ensure they get fed
- 534 new LA county cases, total now 4045. This is a 15% increase
- 207 new LA city cases, total now 1717. This is a 13% increase
- 11 new deaths in LA county, total now 78. This is 20% increase
- 2100 tests conducted today by LA city and county sites, bring total to 14,400
- 23,000 more people have been tested by other providers, so total of 37,725 people have been tested
- By next Wed, 30,000 more will have been tested by LA city and county sites
- Approximately 50K – 60K LA county residents will have been tested by the end of next week
- You don’t have to be living in LA city to be tested. Testing is not just for LA city residents
- Go to coronavirus.LACity.org to see if you are eligible, and to sign up for a test
- With restaurants now exclusively serving takeout & delivery, DOT is facilitating dedicated food-pick up locations
- Will install temporary food pick-up parking zones near restaurants within two business days
- New signs will be supplied and installed free of charge
- Restaurants can apply and get approval at LADOT.LACity.org/PickUpZone
- Since Safer At Home order, there has been a 59% decrease in traffic collisions
- Making roads even safer by setting traffic lights to late night schedule, with frequent red lights to slow drivers down
- Please do not speed on the roads, empty roads are not an excuse for speeding
- Fewer accidents mean more free hospitals beds that will be needed in the days ahead
- Across the county in general emergency hospitals there are 1664 beds, including 305 ICU beds, and an inventory of 1050 ventilators available today
4) Dr Barbara Ferrer –Â LA County Department of Public Health
- We have expanded our capacity for testing, and if you tested positive, self-isolation is vital
- Stay isolated for at least 7 days, and 3 days have to be symptom-free and fever-free
- Everyone around you who is a close contact has to be quarantined; do not leave the house
- Asymptomatic people may be infectious and capable of spreading the virus
- Social distancing of six feet really helps limit the ability of other people to expose you to the virus
- Do you part by staying home, and washing your hands often, and cover your nose and mouth when you are outside, it helps keep your respiratory droplets to yourself
- You wear a mask to protect other people from you
- Healthcare workers wear surgical masks or N95 masks to protect them from other people
- Public does not need N95 masks, they are needed for healthcare workers
- DBS have new guidelines for construction sites to ensure employers and workers are safe and are protecting public health
- Yesterday DBS made 1912 inspections at construction sites
- Guidelines are posted at LADBS.org, please read and implement
- Work sites that do not comply will be shut down
- LAUSD is providing nutrition, instruction and technology
- Operates 63 ‘Grab and Go’ food centers at school sites and yesterday they distributed 435,000 meals
- Beginning Mon 4/6, new ‘Grab and Go’ hours will be 8am – 11am
- Find location nearest to you at Achieve.LAUSD.net/Resources
- Available to you whether you go to public or independent schools
- Phone hotline launched today for students and families to talk to counselors and mental health professionals
- Hotline is open 6am – 6pm on weekdays at 213-241-3840
- Today announced the state is putting 50 million dollars in Infrastructure Economic Development Bank (IBank)
- For micro-loans to small businesses, including undocumented immigrant entrepreneurs who own businesses
- Our programs do not discriminate based on who you are, we want to keep our businesses alive during this critical period
- Small businesses will be able to defer paying up to $50,000 in sales tax, and these bridge loans will come with no interest or late fees. Also receive 90-day extension to pay sales tax
- 17.8 million dollars in new state initiatives on the way to California workers impacted by COVID-19, with 7.8 million going to the LA region to provide workforce development
- CoveredCA has extended its special enrollment period through 30th June
- Apply at CoveredCA.com if you are uninsured and eligible to receive health care coverage due to a job loss or another life event
- 507 new LA county cases, total now 3518. This is a 17% increase
- 194 new LA city cases, total now 1580. This is a 14% increase
- 11 new deaths in LA county, total now 65. This is 20% increase
CDC now says that if you are symptomatic, you must notify anyone you came into close contact with, starting two days before you developed symptoms.Â
- Today two more testing sites opened in LA county, and another will open tomorrow
- 2000+ tests conducted today by LA city and county sites
- By next Wed, 30,000 more will have been tested by LA city and county sites
- You don’t have to be living in LA city to be tested. Testing is not just for LA city residents
- Go to coronavirus.LACity.org to see if you are eligible, and to sign up for a test
- Slower rate of spread in other countries due to people not spreading respiratory droplets
- Front line and essential workers need facial coverings to serve all of us and protect their own lives
- The rest of us must protect folks we come in contact with when we interact with them
- Now recommending that Angelenos should wear a non-medical face covering while in public
- You should still stay at home, but if you go out, please cover your face (mouth +nose)
- Please do not use surgical or N95 masks, those are short in supply and meant for medical staff
- 147 businesses are now approved to produce non-medical face coverings and can manufacture 2 million face coverings per week
- Architecture, design and manufacturing communities to utilize 3D printing to produce Personal Protective Equipment for healthcare professionals
- Non-essential business still continue to operate. 8 criminal charges have been referred to the City Attorney
- LADWP to shut off water and power to non-essential businesses that continue to stay open
- Bureau of Street Services have approved plans from 24 Farmers Markets, who can now operate immediately
- Plans show how vendors and customers are protected from exposure to the virus, physical distancing measures, separate entrance and exit, limiting number of customers in the market, hand washing and sanitizing stations, and clear signage requiring customers with symptoms not to enter. Vendors will move as much as possible to online ordering and maximize the use of credit cards instead of cash. No cross handling of cash and food. All food will be out of reach of the public, and customers will not be able to touch any food. No more free samples will be available.
- Check Streets.LACity.org/COVID for list of Approved Farmers Markets
- County Dept of Public Health will now allow restaurants to offer groceries on their menu for takeout and delivery.
- Please support our restaurants and local businesses
- 548 new LA county cases, total now 3011. This is a 22% increase
- 215 new LA city cases, total now 1386. This is a 18% increase
- 10 new deaths in LA county. This is 23% increase
- COVID-19 could potentially kill 100K to 240K Americans, that is if we continue current physical distancing measures and they are adopted throughout our country uniformly
- Across the county in our general emergency hospitals, we have 1382 available beds, including 222 ICU beds, and 861 available ventilators
- 10027 tests have been conducted by city of LA testing program, including 1623 tests today
- By Thursday we would have doubled our capacity and administer 13,000 tests alone this week
- Starting tomorrow we are opening up testing to the entire county, and expanding testing to two new sites, and our first walk-up site
- You do not have to be living in the city of LA to be tested. Testing is not just for LA city residents
- Go to coronavirus.LACity.org to see if you are eligible, and to sign up for a test
3) Emergency Shelter Program
- More than 95% are filled, 13 more shelters are being built and will open this weekÂ
- 900 motels and hotels rooms have been secured for isolation and quarantine
- FEMA approved the state’s request for 75% reimbursement of all the hotels and motels that are being activated to meet the needs of this crisis
4) Construction
- Department of Building and Safety have new guidelines for construction sites to ensure employers and workers are safe, and are protecting public health
- Guidelines are posted at LADBS.org, and require all construction sites to develop a comprehensive COVID-19 exposure and control plan, including protocols for symptom checking, physical distancing, hygiene practices, and decontamination procedures
- Sick workers must stay at home
- City inspectors will visit sites to ensure compliance; work sites that do not comply will be shut down
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Non-essential businesses must shutdown or they will be referred to law enforcement for action
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Business ambassadors have visited 540 businesses and almost all have complied with the emergency order and are shuttering their doors
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LAPD has visited 144 businesses to confirm that they have been abiding by the rules
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Only 4 have not complied so far and have been referred to law enforcement
In closing, your decision to stay home may mean there is one less person who needs a ventilator that we do not have.
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Email from Mayor with Updates on Recent Progress – 03/30
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Main takeaways from the Mayorâs Presser on Mon , 3/30
- 342 new cases in LA County – we now have 2474 cases. AÂ 16% increase over yesterday
- 151 new cases in Los Angeles – we now have 1171 cases. This is a 15% increase over yesterday
- 7 new deaths – total now 44. This 19% increase over yesterday
- 8373 tests administered by City of LA so far
- 13000 total tests expected to be administered by Thursday
- 20000 tests to be done by end of the work week
- Fifth testing location opened today, starting tomorrow we will have 2500 slots available
- Go to coronavirus.lacity.org to see if you are eligible to take a COVID-19 test, and schedule a date
- Have 13 emergency homeless shelters at rec & parks facilities, and are at 95% capacity citywide
- In addition, we have secured 900 hotel & motel rooms for isolation and quarantine. If you are a hotel operator with rooms to offer, please contact coronavirus.lacity.org/rooms
- 42 trailers have been delivered to Westwood Rec Center and will be outfitted with utilities this week. Next 27 will be at Granada Rec Center by Wed. This will be used for isolation and quarantine for those showing symptoms.
- Less traffic on the street resulted in less overall accidents. However accidents that are taking place are horrific as people are speeding and going too fast on empty streets. Please watch the road and obey all speed limits as more people and families are now walking in their neighborhoods.
- LAPD will be ticketing those speeding
- Pedestrian safety measures: pedestrian lights and traffic signals will turn on automatically so you don’t have to press the button. Have started this downtown and will spread to more areas
- Temporary suspension at all Farmers Markets in the City of LA due to overcrowding
- Require all Farmers Markets to submit plans to Bureau of Street Services immediately, to enforce physical distancing and ensure safe operations
- Silver Lake Meadow is now shutdown
- LAPD visited 46 non-essential business that are still open. Shutdown or face prosecution.
- Ordinance passed by City Council on Fri – emergency eviction moratorium for both residential and commercial tenants
- Tenants will have 12 months to pay back rent, commercial tenants will have 3 months
- Suspending any new rent increases under Rent Stabilization Order
- This will immediately add 1000 new hospital beds
- This is for non-COVID patients, to free up beds in existing hospital for COVID cases
- 23,000 beds across LA hospitals, but only 15,000 beds available today for patients
- 900 ventilators available across the county
- 257 news cases announced today, bringing total to 1465 confirmed cases; and 5 deaths today
- LA county now makes up 31% of all cases in the state of California, although we are only quarter of the state’s population
- Numbers are expected to double every four days or so – for the next few weeks
- A homeless person was found infected with COVID and contact tracing is on the way
- 5 more recreation centers were open today to serve as temporary housing, with proper spacing. This has brought our total to 566 beds available throughout the city, and we will have another 50% increase next week. A total of 13 recreation centers are now open
- County secured 900 hotels rooms to serve as isolation & quarantine quarters. LAHSA is also looking for temporary housing in 50 hotels and motels.
- Launched four public testing sites and have completed 5000 tests and getting results in a day or two
- Will increase 5000 to 15,000 tests next week and a fifth center will open on Monday
- Partnering with UPS to pay for, pick up, and deliver thousands of tests in Los Angeles
- Eligible Angelenos can sign up to get tested at coronavirus.lacity.org
- All public amenities, all public trails and trailheads, are closed. Griffith Park’s Vermont Ave and Ferndell entrances are closed.
- All beaches, piers, and beach parking lots are closed too.
- Bills on Preparedness, Testing, Stimulus for Households; and now Congress is working on fourth bill for Economic RecoveryÂ
- City Council requires grocery stores to open an hour earlier just for seniors and disabled folks
- City Council secured basic rights to protect grocery retail, drug store, and food delivery workers
- Figures reached a record of 3.28 million
- New website launched for free and low-cost internet options for all Angelenos coronavirus.lacity.org/GetConnected
- 2 trillion dollar survival package for the economy coming from Washington with payouts of $1200 per individual / $2400 per couple / $500 per child, benefitting middle and working-class individuals.
- Remember, if you cannot pay your rent during this crisis, you cannot be evicted.
- Emergency eviction moratorium is extended to April 19 and will extend further as needed. Applies to both residential and commercial tenants.
- The money owed will not disappear, but residential tenants will have 6 months to pay back past due rent.
- Governor working on a plan for mortgage relief.
- Partnering with clothing brand âReformationâ to create protective gear and non-medical masks for essential workers.
- Garment and apparel manufacturers interested in helping reach the goal of manufacturing 5 million non-medical masks, please sign up at coronavirus.lacity.org/LAProtects
- LAPD says in the past two weeks with people staying at home, crimes rates have fallen, including violent & property crime.
- LA County now has more than 1200 cases and 21 deaths. We saw an increase of 50% of confirmed cases in a single day. If this rate continues, in six days we will be where NYC is today – the same number of cases per capita.
- Today the US overtook China as the country with most cases in the world.
- Decisions we are making are all based on science and data, and we are continuing with tough measures to protect human life.
- It isnât brave or cool to defy the authorities, it puts lives in harm’s way. So please take this seriously and stay at home.
- LADOT has relaxed enforcement during this period for street sweeping in residential areas/peak/rush hour and gridlock zone parking restrictions / non-metered time limits in commercial zones
- No ticket/towing for abandoned vehicles and overnight parking
- No DOT parking fine increases for 60 days
- The city will not cite or tow vehicles with expired DMV registration
- LAPD will not give tickets for expired driver’s licenses
- Immediate extensions on all deadlines for payments until June 1
- If you are able to pay your utility bills, you should so please continue
- However, the city will not shut off water and power during this emergency period, neither will the city impose any late fees
- You can sign up for a flexible payment plan online, and if you need an extension, you can get one
- You may also be eligible for the ‘income-qualified discount’ now
You can sign up for all this at LADWP.com
Remember, you are safer indoors!!
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- Â Walk outside to exercise as necessary, it is important to take care of your mental & physical well-being, but maintain physical distancing at all times.
- All beach parking lots – city / county / state are now closed.
- Santa Monica stairs at Entrada are closed due to heavy traffic of people not maintaining physical distance.
- Established to compel non-essential businesses who are non-compliant and still remaining open.
- Residents can call 311 to report non-essential businesses that are refusing to close. Or report online at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfCy18l51yeciH_bL2InvGfc1Xo6IVHXTDYGFvpx8GnLzxCIA/viewform
- Enforcement actions will start with verbal warnings and requests for voluntary compliance. If a business still fails to cooperate, the city will shut off the business’ water and power, and they can face misdemeanor charges.
- There is no shortage of food, please do not over buy and hoard food.
- Buy at your normal pace. Do not rush to the stores – it puts cashiers / stockers / delivery drivers at risk.
- There is plenty for everyone, shelves will constantly be restocked. Remember to practice safe physical distancing while shopping.
- Paid or pro-bono, we are looking for medical staff like doctors / nurses / technicians, who have expertise to test, treat, heal or tend to patients.
- Please apply at coronavirus.lacity.org/medicalworkerÂ
- Thatâs a false choice. Only by saving lives, can we re-boot the economy.
- The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner we will be able to return to work.
- Placing profits before people will cost lives. And that is the only thing that is irreplaceable.