SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, May 9, 11:00 AM
District 4 Virtual Townhall Hosted By Assemblymember Evan Low & Supervisor Susan Ellenberg
Dear D4 residents,

As we approach our seventh week of shelter In in place, I am sending this newsletter to update you on recent changes made to our public health order, additional resources that have become available, and ways for you to  submit questions, comments and concerns . But more than anything, I am reaching out today because I want to say on behalf of our Board and our public health officials – thank you. Our community has stepped up and stayed home. 
 
That action of staying home, which literally feels like non-action, has saved lives. Yet, this action has also come at an enormous cost to many businesses and lives. We are now in a place where we must balance the continued necessity of protecting life with mitigating the impacts to our social fabric and economy. So many of us are ready to think about how we roll back the strict rules under which we are all living.

The number of new cases has flattened, but not yet dramatically diminished. Our hospitals are managing the number of new admissions and building steadier supplies of personal protective equipment, but skilled nursing facilities continue to be hotbeds of transmission. We need to increase the number of trained field workers who can conduct thorough contact tracing so we can do targeted isolations rather than the current widespread quarantine. We have accomplished a heroic amount of good, but we aren't ready to breathe a sigh of relief. 
 
Over the next five weeks, some businesses will begin to reopen. The majority of us must continue to stay home, stay away from one another and stay healthy. Santa Clara County and our partners led the Country in instituting a shelter in place order. We can lead again through a phased, carefully thought out re-opening. We can and must prioritize those who have been most negatively impacted by the virus and attendant shut downs: tens of thousands of our neighbors have lost their jobs and are worried about losing their homes, feeding their children, paying their bills and finding new work. While numerous federal and state programs are being stood up to support those who are struggling, the road will still be fraught with challenge and we have to look out for those who might otherwise be forgotten or left behind. Many County residents will face significantly greater need at the same time our local expenses are sky rocketing and revenues are being significantly dismissed. Tough times lie ahead.

And yet, when we look ahead to recovery , I think about many of the innovations that this public health crisis has in many ways forced upon us and I hope that as we move back into an active economy, we don’t lose those lessons. We have made changes in the way we work, learn, engage with health care providers, approach criminal detention and value our social connections. We have seen what we can and cant live without. We have seen how vital childcare is to a functioning workforce. We have stepped up to deliver food, sew masks, contribute dollars and expand internet access. We have publicly declared that many of our lowest wage workers are our most ESSENTIAL workers, so we had better recognize them as such when the crisis passes. 
 
Whatever that future holds will be dependent on the partnerships and collaboration that we form and strengthen now to work together to combat this crisis and the way we hold ourselves accountable today, not for a return to the old normal but to a new, higher baseline that leaves no one behind, will be our greatest legacy. 


-Supervisor Susan Ellenberg
READ: My OPED in the Mercury News regarding a County-wide exit strategy
2,163 Cases (30 in Campbell, 102 in Santa Clara, 1,436 in all of San Jose)| 150 Hospitalized | 111 Deaths
28,570 tested | 2,163 tested positive * as of 4/30/2020
Shelter In Place Order
Santa Clara County is one of six counties in our region with “shelter in place” orders through May 31 . There have been several areas of the order, however, that have been relaxed, including:

  • NON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES ALLOWED TO RESUME: All construction activities; real estate transactions with continued restrictions on open houses and limitations on in-person viewings; childcare providers for essential workers; certain businesses that operate primarily outdoors, including wholesale and retail nurseries and landscapers, gardeners. This, however, does not include cafes or bars, regardless of whether they have outdoor seating.

  • OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES ALLOWED TO RESUME: The use of certain shared outdoor recreational facilities that were previously ordered closed, like skate parks, but not others that involve shared equipment or physical contact.


Data Dashboards
The County has four data dashboards tracking our case count, hospital capacity, testing, and long-term care facilities. These tools offer transparency on where we are at as a County and where we still have to get to. Click here to see all dashboards .

School Closures
Santa Clara County Office of Education will finish up the remainder of the 2019-20 school year through distance learning. Details can be read here .

Face Coverings
The County of Santa Clara's Public Health Department is urging the community to wear face coverings when in public. This action will help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in our community and reduce the number of people infected. Read the details here .

Impacted County Services
During this time, the County of Santa Clara is closing all non-essential services to the public to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Most in-person services have been suspended and customers are asked to conduct business via phone or online channels. Click here for details .

Childcare for Essential Workers
The Santa Clara County Office of Education have launched a new web portal for essential workers who need access to childcare. The site, a byproduct of the work my office along with six other local organizations have been furthering, offers essential workers in Santa Clara County a breakdown of who can apply and where there is availability of childcare slots by age group.


Have COVID-19-related questions? Please read our robust FAQs here, call 2-1-1 24-hours a day, seven days a week or submit your questions/concerns online here .
NEW: Santa Clara County Public Health Facebook Live COVID-19 Briefings:
10AM every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Financial Assistance

If you have been financially affected by COVID-19, you may be eligible for:
  • Unemployment insurance
  • Paid family leave
  • Disability Insurance
  • Relief from financial institutions
  • Statewide moratorium on evictions
WATCH: My weekly video updates during the shelter in place on my Facebook page here
Food Resources

Pre-packaged food boxes.
(408) 278-2160

1(800) 984-3663, 8AM-5PM
Text GETFOOD to (408) 455-5181

Meal deliveries and to-go meals for seniors ages 60+
Leave a message at (408) 350-3246

Financial assistance for food purchases
1 (800) 984-3663

School District Distribution meals
Free meals to students and families
Parent Resources

The Santa Clara County Office of Education has prepared these resources for parents , including:

  • NEW: Weekly Family Resource Chat forum where parents can learn and practice education techniques with an Inclusion Training Specialist, exchange information, and connect with each other. 
  • NEW: FIRST 5 Community Resource Directory for families, parents, and caregivers.
  • WarmLine,(408) 453-6651​. Answering questions 16 hours a day
  • At Home Learning resources by grade level
  • How to talking to your child about COVID-19
  • Accessibility Tools for Students with Special Needs

Also see additional school district information and resources below.
Homeless Response

The County of Santa Clara, City of San Jose, and Continuum of Care partners have been working together to address the needs of homeless individuals affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak locally.

597** homeless individuals have been connected to appropriate congregate or non-congregate shelter. As part of this effort, every known homeless person who has tested positive for COVID-19 has been provided shelter. Click here to read more about our efforts . ** As of 4/24/20
Resources for Seniors

Housing and Homelessness Services

Long-Term Care Facilities

The County of Santa Clara's Public Health Department prioritizes responding to concerns about potential cases of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), including licensed skilled nursing, assisted living, independent living, and board and care facilities in the county. The Public Health Department has a specialized team that responds to cases and potential outbreaks in long-term care facilities and skilled nursing facilities. Read more about these response efforts here .
Income Tax Relief

Updates to upcoming income taxes can be found on the California Franchise Tax Board website here . Current deadline is July 15, 2020.

Property Taxes

However, on April 21 the Board of Supervisors voted to waive penalties and costs for the April 10 due date.

DMV Grace Period

Licenses for drivers younger than 70 that expire between March and May 2020 are now valid through May 31, 2020.

All commercial driver licenses, endorsements and certificates expiring between March and June 2020 are now valid through June 30, 2020, aligning with a recent emergency declaration from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The extension does not include medical certificates for commercial drivers, which requires additional administrative actions scheduled in the near future. Read more here .
Benefits for Workers and Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

Check out this page that includes information on various assistance, including:
  • Financing for Small Businesses
  • Workforce Resources
  • Employees of Affected Businesses/Unemployment Claims
SHELTER IN PLACE FAQs
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
The following resources are available to help people who may be experiencing distress or heightened anxiety right now:  
  • 24/7 Behavioral Health Services Department Call Center: (800) 704-0900  
  • Crisis Text Line: Text RENEW to 741741  
  • Suicide and Crisis Hotline 24/7: (855) 278-4204 
  • If you are experiencing an emergency please call 911 immediately. 
STAY INFORMED


Information is changing frequently. Follow the Santa Clara County Public Health Department for the latest:
Price-gouging is illegal in California . To file a complaint against an individual or business, click here .