October 2020 Community Connection

October 2020 Click HERE to visit the City's Calendar)

Contents:
In this issue...

Articles		Every Issue
1 - Updates on COVID-19	3 - Fire Safety Week	Did You Know...
2 Homeless Help City Parks	4 - City Closes Illegal Cannabis Shops	Events
		Contacts

COVID-19 Update

New Testing Site: A new testing site for COVID-19 has been established at the South Chula Vista Branch Library, 389 Orange Avenue. This is a no appointment, drive-up site and will be open Sunday-Thursday from 12:30 to 8 p.m. The new testing site is a collaboration between the City of Chula Vista and the County of San Diego.

Renters Assistance: To assist renters during COVID-19, the State of California has implemented a Statewide Eviction Moratorium/Protections (AB 3088). The moratorium is effective March 2020 through January 31, 2021. Check the website for all details.

Playgrounds Opening: The City of Chula Vista is in the process of re-opening parks playgrounds this weekend, starting with high-use parks. Following are State and County guidelines for playgrounds:

Visitors over the age of two need face coverings
Users should wash and sanitize hands before and after use
Maintain six-foot distancing from those outside your household
Caregiver supervision/monitoring required at all times to ensure guidelines are followed
Follow maximum occupancy rules that are posted at entrance to each playground

All park and playground visitors should be aware that the City is implementing appropriate cleaning protocols, but the playgrounds do get a lot of public use. We still are in a pandemic and it is up to every individual to take responsibility to wear a mask, wash hands frequently, and maintain social distance. More information is available here: Playgrounds Open in English and Playgrounds Open en Espanol.

Parks and Trails: All park restrooms, except Lauderbach and Harborside, are open.

Recreation Centers/City Pools: Applications are now being accepted for aquatics teams and organized group exclusive rentals at Parkway and Loma Verde Pool. For more information on the application process, requirements or to confirm availability, please contact Karina Craig or Parkway Pool directly at (619) 409-1985. Registration is now open for private swim lessons (ages 6+) and monthly pool lane rentals (ages 16+). Please be advised there are new protocols that are being implemented for your safety and the safety of others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit the website for full program details, safety protocols, and to register.

Park Reservations: City gazebos, picnic areas, and park reservations remain closed. Gatherings are limited to under 10 people from the same household within open grass spaces. Applications continue to be accepted for outdoor fitness and church permits. These permits are made available to fitness groups and businesses for fitness related activities and for churches to host outdoor church services. Applications can be submitted online.

CV Food Helpline: Recreation staff are assisting with Chula Vista Food Helpline deliveries Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. CV Food Helpline is a one-time free food delivery service available to Chula Vista residents who are home-bound, have a compromised immune system, and lack transportation to other food distribution sites or stores. If you meet these requirements, call (619) 476-5340 to sign up!

Food Distribution: If you have transportation, but are in need of food resources, South Bay Community Services has local food distribution sites available. Tuesdays: Loma Verde Recreation Center, 2 to 4 p.m.; Wednesdays: Loma Verde Recreation Center, 2 to 4 p.m.; and Thursdays: Castle Park Elementary School, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Parking in downtown Third Avenue district: Free parking meters will continue through October 31 encouraging residents to shop and dine locally on Third Avenue.

Masks: The City of Chula Vista requires all residents and visitors to wear a mask when in public and

within six feet of non-household members, practice social distancing, avoid large gatherings and wash hands frequently. To ensure Chula Vista residents have access to a reusable cloth face covering, the City is distributing masks to residents. 25,000 of the cloth face masks were produced locally and printed with the City logo and website, reminding residents where they can go to get the most current information related to the City's COVID-19 efforts.

Masks will be distributed one per-person on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents can pick up a mask at the following locations.

* Civic Center Branch Library, 365 F Street, between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday-Friday.

* Otay Ranch Branch Library, 2015 Birch Rd., #409, between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday-Friday

Homeless Help City Parks

Although homelessness is a concern for many local cities, including Chula Vista, a unique collaboration between the City and the Work for Hope rehabilitation program has offered a source of hope to many homeless individuals. The partnership employs vetted homeless individuals to paint City park restrooms, picnic gazebos and benches.

Work for Hope participants are paid cash during a three-day work week and offered vocational rehabilitation training, life skills instructions, and assistance with transportation, job readiness and possible housing. Since its inception in Chula Vista two years ago, Work for Hope has helped secure stable employment and housing for 27 individuals.

Initial funding was provided through a Kaiser Foundation grant secured by McAlister Institute, that worked closely with the Chula Vista Police Department HOT (Homeless Outreach Team) and the Parks Ranger Division's OPERATION PRIDE. Selected homeless individuals were offered employment as a way to reintroduce them to the work force. Once that grant was exhausted, McAlister helped the City obtain additional funding from the Lucky Duck Foundation. Seeing the value and the positive impact the program had on the


Before

community, the City's Housing Division allocated $150,000 of Community Development Block Grant funds to help cover expenses for these two programs allowing the beautification of the City to continue.

The CVPD HOT members, led by Lt. Henry Martin, include Sgt. Ernie Pinedo, Officer Hugo Cardenas, Officer Fred Dominguez, Park Ranger Program Manager Sam Alzubaidi, Park Ranger Supervisor Frank Herrera, and a trained member from PERT (Psychiatric Emergency Response Team). The group meets every Wednesday with their community partners to discuss new homeless encampments, people they have encountered and how to best address the issues.

Other CVPD HOT community partners include the City's Housing Division, Alpha Project, San Diego Family Health Center, Community Through Hope, Bay View Hospital, Scripps Hospital, South Bay Community Services, Veterans Affairs, South Bay Pioneers, East County Transitional Living Center, South Bay Guidance Center, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, McAlister Institute and Labor Finders.

The Work for Hope employees have painted 76 Chula Vista interior park restrooms with plans to have the exterior painting scheduled soon as well as other beautification projects. To date, their contribution has saved the City over $92,000. "This effort would not be possible without the supervising effort of McAlister Institute. We are very pleased to assist some of our homeless population in obtaining gainful employment while beautifying our City at the same time," said Park Ranger Manager Sam Alzubaidi.

A new clean-up program will be implemented soon in Chula Vista with the assistance of the Alpha Project which will bring on two full-time employees to manage the program. "Alpha Project has assisted our HOT members with case management in addition to clean-up efforts," stated Sgt. Pinedo. "Their support has been invaluable to


	After

the success of our homeless outreach."

Chula Vista's Public Works Department has been instrumental in assisting Operation Pride by providing heavy duty equipment in special clean-up areas. The Community Services Department has provided funding for painting materials as well.

From January through August 2020, Chula Vista Park Rangers have removed 139,153 pounds - or nearly 70 tons - of trash and 931 shopping carts from various locations throughout the City.

Fire Safety Week

Fire Safety Week is October 4-10. According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Almost half of reported home fires

started in the kitchen. Two-thirds of home cooking fires start with the ignition of food or other cooking materials. The Chula Vista Fire Department offers some tips to avoid cooking fires:

Never leave cooking food unattended. Stay in the kitchen while when frying, grilling or broiling. If you have to leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
If simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly. Remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
Be alert when cooking. That means don't cook when sleepy, have taken medicine or drugs, or consumed alcohol that makes you drowsy.
Always keep an oven mitt and pan lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan to smother the flame. Turn off the burner, and leave the pan covered until it is completely cool.
Have a "kid-free zone" of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

For more general information about Fire Safety Week and cooking fire prevention, visit the website.

City Closes All Illegal Cannabis Shops

In late August, the Chula Vista Police Department announced the closure of all illegal marijuana dispensaries in the City. From April through August, CVPD, in conjunction with the Chula Vista City Attorney's Office, City Public Works, City Code Enforcement and the San Diego County District Attorney's Office worked together to serve 30 criminal search warrants on illegal marijuana dispensaries in the City. These illegal marijuana dispensaries were responsible for numerous complaints from members in the community. Several of these illegal dispensaries also were located in close proximity to elementary schools.

Illegal marijuana dispensary owners and/or operators are being criminally charged and prosecuted for operating these establishments

without permits and illegally selling marijuana. The Chula Vista Police Department, with the assistance of the City Attorney's Office and the San Diego County District Attorney's Office, will continue to focus criminal enforcement efforts on any future documented locations that open up and are identified as selling marijuana illegally in the city.

The closure effort resulted in $34,636,000 in marijuana products seized, ten felony arrests, 16 misdemeanor arrests, 133 advisory warnings, $6,063,073 in cash seized, 23 firearms recovered and 15 misdemeanor guilty pleas by defendants from 2019 warrant operations. Continued enforcement operations will also focus on the ownership behind these illegal businesses.

Currently, the City of Chula Vista is in the final stages of approving legally licensed cannabis operations with the goal of only having legal marijuana dispensaries operating in the community. The City began the approval process after California residents voted in November 2016 in favor of Proposition 64 legalizing marijuana in the state.

Did you know...

...TechHire Chula Vista, in collaboration with the San Diego Workforce Partnership, is launching internship and/or employment opportunities for Chula Vista residents age 18 and older. Residents must have education and/or training in an Information and Communications Technology field. Positions include computer programming, network and support, multimedia and design, analytics and other tech fields. For more information and to apply, visit the website,

...nearly 2,000 animals are adopted from the Chula Vista Animal Care Facility each year. To celebrate all the amazing pets and their families, AND, to raise funds to help more animals in need, the Animal Care Facility is launching a 2021 CVACF and Rescue Pet Calendar photo contest! To enter, post a favorite photo of your pet to

either Facebook, or Instagram with the hashtag #CVACFcalendar, tag the Chula Vista Animal Care Facility account (@cvAnimalCare on Facebook or @cvacf on Instagram). Only photos posted from October 1 to October 15 will be considered. For official rules and regulations, visit the website.

The Grand Prize winner will have their photo featured on the cover of the Animal Care Facility 2021 calendar as well as on one month inside the calendar! Eleven first prize winners will have their photo featured on one month inside the 2021 calendar. Want to be first in line for a Chula Vista Animal Care Facility 2021 Calendar? For every $10 donation that you make, you will receive one calendar. Find out more and donate!

...on September 28, Hurricane Grill and Wings opened at 2040 Birch Road, M101. Featuring 30 plus flavors, you can add your favorite sauce, rub or glaze on any menu item including steak burgers, fries and more. Check it out soon! The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

...Chula Vista was recently ranked number one out of the largest 100 cities on local integration policies and socioeconomic outcomes. The NAE Cities Index examines 31 different policies and practices as well as 20 different socioeconomic outcomes to access cities on their work to integrate newcomers. Chula Vista was ranked based on Government Leadership, Economic Empowerment, Inclusivity, Community, and Legal Support, as well as Job Opportunities, Economic Prosperity, Livability and Civic Participation. Yay us!

...some Park & Ride lots now have more EV charging options, thanks to the recent installation by SDG&E of 88 EV chargers at four different areas. The Chula Vista location, at 1244 Oleander Avenue, is equipped with 20 Level 2 chargers and two direct current (480 volt) fast chargers.

...the City has received several awards lately and we are happy to share the good news! From the American Public Works San Diego Chapter: Honor Award - Adaptive Traffic Signal Systems - East H Street/Telegraph Canyon Road, Honor Award - Willow Street Bridge, Award of Merit - Parks Ranger Manager Sam Alzubaidi, and Pubic Works Advocate - Marketing and Communications Manager Anne Steinberger. Fire Station 10 in Millenia received the 2020 Engineering News Record Best Projects Award of Merit. The Willow Street Bridge received two additional honors: from the American Society of Civil Engineers San Diego Section as the Outstanding Bridge Project for 2020 and by the 2020 Construction Management Association of America San Diego Chapter in the category of transportation project greater than $15 million.Thanks to all the staff who keep delivering award winning work!

...Chula Vista residents have more options to safely dispose of their expired or unused over-the-counter and prescription medications. New collection bins are located at Sav-On Pharmacy located inside Albertsons at 720 Third Avenue; Vons Pharmacy, 2250 Otay Lakes Road; and Vons Pharmacy, 1745 Eastlake Parkway. Place items in a clear plastic zipper bag, remove or mark out personal information, and place items in the bin. Medical sharps/needles and business medical waste items are not accepted. Visit the website for more details.

...more coffee shops are opening in Chula Vista! In late September, Ziggi's Coffee Shop opened at 6 North Fourth Avenue (near Aldi's). In addition to the classic coffees, Ziggi's serves fruit smoothies, Red Bull infusions,

delicious snacks and special kid's drinks like Shark Bite Slushie. Visit them from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Adding to the coffee craze, Dark Horse Coffee will soon be opening in the Park Plaza, located at F and Third Avenue. Besides the traditional coffees and their famous Salted Maple Latte, the store will serve Skinny Donuts treats and soft serve ice cream flavored with their coffee beans. We can hardly wait!

...applications are now being accepted for the Mobilehome Rent Review Commission. The Mobilehome Rent Review Commission provides an independent review of the disputes over rent increases in mobilehome parks within the City of Chula Vista. The Commission also provides advice to the City Council and the City Manager on matters relating to mobilehome parks and adopts rules and regulations to administer hearings to determine whether a park owner's rent increase is in excess of the applicable cost of living increase. The Commission currently has three vacancies. Applicants must not own or be a tenant in a mobilehome park and must be registered to vote in Chula Vista. For more information or to apply to the Mobilehome Rent Review Commission, visit the boards and commission website.

...to help Chula Vista businesses Recycle Right, Environmental Services staff is reaching out to educate businesses on proper recycling techniques and "right sizing" their service levels. Right sizing determines the best service levels by analyzing the amount and contents in your recycling, trash, and green waste containers. This involves City staff assessing if current container sizes and number of service days are appropriate and recommending possible changes. Recommendations may include a change in the size of the container, change in the day the service occurs or the number of service days. These evaluations have been successful in helping businesses allocate their waste disposal dollars more cost effectively and in some cases save money on their monthly disposal costs. If you are interested in participating in the Virtual Outreach Program, call Environmental Services at (619) 691-5122 or email to request information.

Virtual Meetings and Events

September Council Meetings

City Council meetings will be held virtually on Tuesdays, October 6 and 20, at 5 p.m. Residents are invited to provide comments on the agenda. Visit the online eComment portal for the meeting. If you would like to submit a comment by telephone, please contact the Office of the City Clerk or call (619) 691-5041 for assistance. Members of the public can watch the meeting via livestream. In addition, Chula Vista City Council meetings are video recorded and aired live on AT&T U-verse channel 99 (throughout the County), and on Cox Cable channel 24 (only in Chula Vista). Recorded meetings are also aired on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. (both channels) and are archived on the City's website.

National Night Out

While the Chula Vista Police Department cannot host the usual National Night Out event due to COVID-19, residents are encouraged to participate and light the night against crime. Simply turn on your porch light on Tuesday, October 6, from 7 to 10 p.m. and light up Chula Vista! National Night Out was founded in 1984 by the National Association of Town Watch with the purpose of creating safer neighborhoods by strengthening the partnership between residents and public safety officials. With residents encouraged to turn on their porch lights, it enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community.

Over 15,000 communities across the United States, as well as cities in Canada and military bases worldwide participate in the celebration.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Chula Vista City Hall is decked out in pink lights as a reminder of the importance of getting screened.