Berkeley Relief Fund, Shelter in Place Extension, and More COVID-19 Updates
April 1, 2020
Thank You Berkeley for Your Donations to the Berkeley Relief Fund
Billboard by Visit Berkeley promoting the Berkeley Relief Fund at the I-80 freeway.
Thanks to the generosity of Berkeley residents and organizations, as of March 30th, we have raised over $681,000 for the Berkeley Relief Fund! We are 22% toward the goal of $3 Million and applications for the Fund are now available online. If you are a small business owner, arts nonprofit organization, or a resident at risk of eviction who has been financially impacted as a result of COVID-19, you may be eligible for funding.
The first round of funding from the Berkeley Relief Fund will allocate $3 million equally between Small Businesses, Art nonprofits and Tenants. The City has already committed $3 million to the fund. With the generosity of our community the Berkeley Relief Fund hopes to match the City’s contribution that will provide a second round of funding to people and businesses who are in need. You can donate here.
Criteria for funding can be found on the city website or you can access them here:
The first round of applications end on Monday, April 6 at 5pm.
The first round of applications end on Monday, April 20 at 5pm.
These criteria will remain in effect for 60 days after the shelter-in-place order if lifted, or longer if deemed necessary by the City of Berkeley. The East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) will be managing the grant process.
Shelter In Place Continues to May 3rd
The Shelter in Place Order that went into effect on March 17th has been extended until May 3rd. This comes after public health leaders across the Bay Area agree that such an extension is necessary to help slow the spread of COVID-19. While such a decision does not come lightly, it is necessary in order to save lives and reduce the immense pressure the pandemic has placed on our healthcare system.
The updated Order provides additional changes and clarifications, including:
Use of playgrounds, dog parks, public picnic areas, and similar recreational areas is prohibited.
Use of shared public recreational facilities such as golf courses, tennis and basketball courts, pools, and rock walls is prohibited.
All essential businesses must create social distancing protocols by April 3rd. Essential businesses must maximize the number of employees who work from home, excepting only those employees who cannot perform their job duties from home.
Most construction is now prohibited.
Individuals may move residences only if it is not possible to wait until the Order expires, such as if a move is already planned or if it is necessary for safety or habitability.
Most landscaping services are prohibited, unless it is essential to maintain the sanitation, habitability, or operation of residences or businesses, or for safety reasons.
Childcare facilities may only provide care to children or dependents of individuals working for essential businesses, providing essential governmental functions, or performing minimum basic operations for non-essential businesses.
You can read the entire updated Order here. For additional information, the City is frequently updating its page on COVID-19.
Eviction Moratorium in Place During State of Emergency
On March 17th, the Berkeley City Council passed an urgency ordinance prohibiting evictions for both residential and commercial tenants due to non-payment of rent or no-fault evictions during the State of Emergency. Tenants would need to demonstrate that their inability to pay rent was caused by COVID-19 and/or the State of Emergency and government recommendations in response to it. Rent will still have to be paid within six months of the end of local State of Emergency is over, but landlords will not be able to collect late fees or charge interest.
The Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board has created a page with additional information and resources for tenants who are struggling to pay rent during these difficult times. Be sure to visit or bookmark the page to know your rights.
Public Transit Updates
Ridership on the region’s public transit systems have plummeted dramatically over the past couple of weeks as people comply with the Shelter in Place Order. However, AC Transit and BART are still operating. Given the reduction in revenues as a result of reduced ridership, schedules have been amended.
AC Transit daily schedules are now similar to those that run on Sundays. In an effort to promote social distancing, no fares are being collected on AC Transit; people should board through the back doors if available. For more details and trip planning, visit the AC Transit website.
BART has reduced its operating hours to 5am-9pm on weekdays and 8am-9pm on weekends. Train frequency remains the same. As the Shelter in Place Order continues, further changes may be needed. Visit the BART website for the latest updates.
Census Day - Have You Completed the Census?
April 1st marks Census Day, where those who have yet to fill out the Census are encouraged to do so. The decennial Census, which is required to be completed under federal law, is essential for allocating funding for local services such as education, housing, and transportation. It also ensures that voters have equal representation on a local, state, and federal level.
Completing the Census is quick and easy, taking just a few minutes to do online. For every person that is not counted, the City loses $10,000 in funding over the next ten years.
You should have received information on how to fill out the US Census in the mail. To complete the Census, go to my2020census.gov.