Jenny Wong, City Auditor
Promoting transparency and accountability in Berkeley government.
Audit News
from the City Auditor
December 2020
Streets Audit Presented to Council Tomorrow
At tomorrow’s City Council meeting, I will present the findings of our recently released audit, Rocky Road: Berkeley Streets at Risk and Significantly Underfunded which is item #27 on the consent calendar. The report highlights poor street conditions, long term underfunding, and an outdated policy. We describe this in our most recent newsletter. We recommend that the Public Works Department assesses how much funding is needed to address the goals of the Streets Rehabilitation Program. We also recommend that the Public Works Department update the Street Rehabilitation and Repair Policy to address equity, include goals and performance measures, provide consistency with other planning processes including Vision 2050, and reflect an accurate prioritization of funding. There is also a related council item, #35, titled, Potential Bonding and Funding Opportunities for Improving the PCI of Residential Streets, and Creating a Paving Master Plan. You can provide comment at the City Council meeting or email council@cityofberkeley.info.

Here is the coverage of this audit below:
Emergency Regional Stay At Home Order
Stay Home, Save Lives: December 7 - January 4
COVID-19 is surging in our community with unprecedented speed. The virus threatens hospital capacity throughout the region.

Stay home, except for brief, essential trips.

Emergency Stay Home Order
The City of Berkeley Health Officer, along with others around the region, has issued an emergency Stay at Home Order.

Please stay home as much as possible. Until January 4:

  • Do not gather in person with anyone you don't live with.
  • Do not travel outside the region.
  • Avoid crowds while running essential errands.
  • Wear a face covering, keep 6 feet apart from others, and wash/sanitize hands regularly when out.

COVID-19 is posing its most dangerous threat yet in this pandemic. Immediate, drastic action is needed to prevent our healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed.

The emergency restrictions in the Regional Stay at Home Order were established by the California Department of Public Health and implemented in the Bay Area by local Health Officers.

Do not gather in person
The extremely high levels of transmission in our community right now make even previously low-risk activities - such as masked, outdoor, distanced gatherings - unsafe.

All gatherings with members of other households are prohibited during this Order, with limited exceptions for schools, childcare, and outdoor religious ceremonies.

Being in community gives us meaning. For the next month, we are now tasked with finding ways to do so without being physically together:


Temporary business closures
During this Order, most non-essential businesses must close. Businesses that remain open must increase safety protocols, and may need to modify operations.
 
Permitted to continue operating
The following sectors may remain open when a remote option is not possible, with appropriate COVID-19 preventative measures including ensuring 100 percent masking and physical distancing:


Temporary limits to sectors that remain open
The following sectors will need to implement additional modifications and ensure 100 percent masking and physical distancing:

  • Retail stores: Indoor operations permitted at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores.
  • Grocery stores: Indoor operations permitted at 35% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores.
  • Hotels and lodging: Accepting reservations for non-essential out of state travel prohibited.
  • Offices: Remote only, except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible.
  • Places of worship and political expression: Only outdoor services permitted.
  • Entertainment production including professional sports: Operation permitted without live audiences.
  • Outdoor recreational facilities: Permitted only without any food, drink, or alcohol sales. Overnight stays at campgrounds prohibited.

The City will be opening playgrounds, play structures, athletic courts, sports fields, and climbing areas, in accordance with California Department of Public Health guidance for outdoor recreation facilities. Please enjoy these spaces alone or with members of your own household, only. Picnic areas will remain closed.

Temporary closures
These sectors must close while the Stay Home Order is in effect:

  • outdoor dining (take-out, pick-up, and delivery are permitted)
  • indoor recreational facilities
  • hair salons, barbershops and personal care services
  • museums & galleries
  • movie theaters
  • wineries, bars, breweries, and distilleries
  • limited services not included in critical infrastructure

Resources
City of Berkeley Health Order, updated December 9, 2020
What's Open, What's Closed in Berkeley starting December 7, 2020
California Regional Stay at Home Order, issued December 3, 2020
Joint press conference from Bay Area Health Officers announcing immediate implementation of State Regional Stay at Home Order, December 4, 2020
Resources For COVID-19 Information and Updates
Berkeley City Auditor | Website