Jenny Wong, City Auditor
Promoting transparency and accountability in Berkeley government.
Audit News
from the City Auditor
April 2020

Virtual Town Hall on COVID-19 Friday, April 10th
Join Mayor Jesse Arreguin, City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley, and Berkeley Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez for a virtual town hall where they will provide updates on what the City is doing to address the ongoing COVID-19 town hall and answer your questions . 

What: Virtual Town Hall on COVID-19
When: Friday, April 10, 2:30-3:30pm
Where: Live stream on jessearreguin.com  

To be able to effectively answer more questions and avoid technical difficulties, we are asking people submit questions ahead of time using this form .  
City of Berkeley Opens COVID-19 Testing Site for Vulnerable Populations
A message from City of Berkeley Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez

As part of the City of Berkeley's multi-faceted response to COVID-19, we are opening a testing site in partnership with LifeLong Medical and UC Berkeley for vulnerable community members including those without access to health care as well as firefighters, nurses, police officers and other essential City employees.

Testing for all is not necessary. This new virus may cause mild if any symptoms to the vast majority of people, many of whom should stay home and take care of themselves unless their symptoms worsen. Everyone should stay home, except for the most essential activities.

I ask those of you who have a health care provider to please not come to the site. That will allow us to focus on serving critical needs during this time. For those who don't have a healthcare provider and have concerns, you can call LifeLong Medical Care at (510) 981-4100 to see if testing is appropriate.
COVID-19 Kills Berkeley Resident
Death is first in Berkeley, as cases and deaths grow for city, region, and nation
Berkeley's Health Officer announced that a Berkeley resident in their 40s has died of COVID-19, a virus for which there is no treatment and for which the most powerful antidote during a pandemic is staying home except for essential activities.

This first Berkeley resident to die from COVID-19 had underlying health problems, which data shows makes people more likely to suffer severe illness from this new coronavirus. People over 60 are also more susceptible to severe illness, but  the virus affects all ages .

The virus has been spreading in silent ways through our community, a key factor prompting Berkeley’s Health Officer and six others to   declare a shelter-in-place on March 16 . This person also appears to have gotten the virus in the community.

An invisible threat, the COVID-19 virus can be carried and spread by apparently healthy people. It can move onto objects they touch. It travels through the air by sneezing, coughing or just  talking near another person .

Everyone should wear a cloth face covering over their nose and mouth when in any public setting where you cannot maintain 6-feet of space, including grocery stores and pharmacies. They may be unknowing carriers of this deadly virus.

This death is one of 17 lab-confirmed COVID-19 deaths so far for all of Alameda County, 442 in the state and 12,745 in the nation. This Berkeleyan was one of 34 people infected with  COVID-19 in Berkeley , nearly  17,000 in California  and almost  400,000 for the United States .
What Are the Economic Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the City of Berkeley?
We are conducting research on high-level economic impacts on city revenues and expenditures. The purpose of this information is to help city management and City Council develop a coordinated strategy to manage resources and provide needed services during and after this pandemic. Working collaboratively with city staff, we will share this special report in time for budget discussions.
The 2020 Census Is As Important As Ever
Your response matters. Census results help determine how billions of dollars in federal funding flow into states and communities each year.

Health clinics. Fire departments. Schools. Even roads and highways. The census can shape many different aspects of your community.

Take 10 minutes to make a difference for 10 years. Go to
Berkeley City Auditor | Website