District 6 Matters: Oakland's Continued Response To COVID-19
From the Office of Councilmember Loren Taylor
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Hi Neighbor,
For many in our community, the month of April represents a time for strengthening our connection to each other and to a power that is greater than ourselves. If your faith leads you to celebrate the Easter Holiday like me and my family, or Passover, or Ramadan (in a couple weeks), the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly affected your plans.
It is my wish that you and your family are able to adjust to our new reality by staying safe, while still connecting with each other, with God, and with your faith community either virtual or at a healthy 6-foot distance. It is my faith that guides me in my continued service/support of others through this pandemic, and also assures me that we will get through this crisis together.
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It is important that we acknowledge the added stress we all feel while managing through this crisis.
Some of us are stressed because of the difficulty sheltering in place at home, worried about our health when reporting to work as an essential worker, confused while trying to support our kids at-home learning since they can’t go to school, unsure how to keep a roof over your head, and food on the table.
Please take advantage of the resources listed here if you could use any additional support during this time.
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One recent change being made to improve our mental and emotional health is the closure of several residential streets to through traffic -
The Slow Streets Program.
This program will help to encourage walking and biking on those streets for those wanting to get outside so that they can maintain the required 6 ft of social distancing.
Residents of those streets will still have access to their homes, but other vehicle traffic will not be allowed.
Learn more about the program in
Section 1
below.
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Oakland is making COVID-19 testing available for essential service providers:
The City of Oakland is operating a COVID-19 test site to serve essential service providers such as healthcare workers, grocery store employees, homeless outreach workers, and others working directly with the public during the pandemic.
If an organization operates within one of the listed areas and has not yet made arrangements for testing, they should email
covid19testing@oaklandca.gov
to learn more.
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Inside this newsletter you'll find the following information:
- Oakland Slow Streets Program
- Alameda County Treasurer- Tax Update
- Business & Non-Profit Support
- Community Resources & Updates
- Family Supportive Services
- Homeless Encampment Management Survey
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And if you still have questions about COVID-19 and what the Federal,State and Local Governments are doing:
1. Click
here
to watch City of Oakland Mayor's April 9th COVID-19 Town Hall updates.
2. Please revisit our previous newsletters below:
- April 3rd:Shelter In Place Extended &Eviction Moratorium Explained link
- March 27th: Oakland's Continued Response to COVID-19 link
- March 21st: News & Updates link
- March 17th: Alameda County Shelter In Place Effective March 17th link
- March 14th: Coronavirus update link
- March 8th: City of Oakland- Response to Coronavirus link
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Also, Please share this email with any neighbors who may not have received this update!
Yours in Service of Oakland,
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Loren M. Taylor, Councilmember
Oakland - District 6
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1.City of Oakland Slow Streets Program
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The City of Oakland Slow Streets Program
What Does It Mean?
The program is intended to support safe physical activity by creating more space for physical distancing for all Oaklanders by declaring that all existing and proposed Neighborhood Bike Routes are Closed to Through Traffic so that people can more comfortably use these low-traffic streets for physically distant walking, wheelchair rolling, jogging, and biking all across the City.
When & Where?
This program will start with a
pilot Saturday, 4/11/2020
with signage along the following four street segments:
- West St: West Grand – 14th Street
- Arthur St from Havenscourt Blvd - 78th Ave, connecting to Plymouth St from 78th – 104th Avenue
- E 16th St: 23rd Ave/Foothill Blvd – Fruitvale Ave
- 42nd St: Adeline - Broadway
This initiative Does Not encourage or do the following:
- Encourage social gathering or events on any of these streets. Always maintain at least 6 feet of physical space from others.
- Limit access for emergency vehicles or close streets to people that must use them to access a final destination.
- Seek to ticket or financially penalize those who use the corridors as through streets
Updates will be provided on the City of Oakland
Website.
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2.Alameda County Treasurer- Tax Collector (Update)
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THE DEADLINE FOR THE 2ND INSTALLMENT SECURED PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT IS FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2020.
MAKE YOUR PAYMENTS BY PHONE, ONLINE (WITH E-CHECK OR CREDIT CARD)
NO IN-PERSON PAYMENTS.
FOR TAXPAYERS DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY COVID-19, SPECIFIC PENALTY WAIVERS WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER APRIL 10, 2020
Message
from Hank Levy, Tax Assessor Alameda County.
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3. Business & Non-Profit Support
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A.District 6 East Oakland Business & Non- Profit Registry
We know that many of our East Oakland businesses and non-profits are impacted by COVID-19
Please register your business or non-profit and we will send supportive service opportunity as they arise. ie grants, loans etc
Lastly, we ask you to share this link to friends or family that own a business or Non- Profit in East Oakland.
Register District 6 Business or Non-Profit
Here.
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B.
Akonadi Foundation
Akonadi Foundation has Allocated $1 Million for COVID-19 Rapid Response Funding Through the Relaunch of its
So Love Can Win
Fund.
This endowment in rapid response funding is for people of color-led organizations and initiatives in Oakland that are on the frontlines of responding to communities impacted by COVID-19.
Details on the So Love Can Win Fund:
- The fund will provide one-time rapid response grants of up to $10,000 and can be used for general support.
- The unrestricted funding will help sustain emerging needs to meet community demands and/or to aid the loss of operational revenue from facility closures, cancelled programs, events or other impacts of the Bay Area’s need to shelter in place.
- Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and interviews will happen online or via phone; applicants will receive a decision within two weeks from the day their application is submitted.
- Funds will be distributed in two cycles with $500,000 disbursed between April and June, and $500,000 disbursed between July and September.
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EBCE offers grants to community-based organizations (CBOs) serving residents and/or businesses in EBCE’s service area.
Specifically, EBCE seeks to help those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 health crises.
The COVID-19 Community Grant will award up to a total of $100,000 in funding this cycle. CBOs are eligible to apply for up to $25,000.
Grant recipients must offer resources or support in at least one of the following areas:
- Assistance in Energy or Utility Bills
- Food Security
- Rent Stabilization
- Health and Wellness
Selection criteria include benefits to communities most at risk and number of people served. Application is
due Wednesday, April 15
by
5:00 PM
and can be completed and submitted online
here
.
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D.We Buy Black;SheaMoisture
The Black Business Relief Fund: $100,000 for Black owned businesses.
The application opened on Wednesday, April 8 and the deadline to apply for a grant is Wednesday, April 15.
A committee will choose 20 recipients who will be awarded $5,000 per company to advance their business (awarded to the business as a check).
Every Monday and Tuesday, We Buy Black will post editorials spotlighting the top 10 businesses of the week.
On Wednesday, those businesses will be posted on We Buy Black’s IG page.
The companies that receive the most likes on IG by 11:59 PM EST Thursday will be announced as recipients on Friday.
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Facebook is providing up to $15M in grants to small business owners in the Bay Area, with an emphasis on helping women, people of color, and veteran-owned businesses --
apply here
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4. Community Resources & Updates
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A.Alameda Social Services Agency
Eastmont SSA Virtual Job Fair
April 6th-April 17th, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a great deal of uncertainty for many who have lost employment recently. In response to this, the Eastmont Social Services Agency is hosting a Virtual Job Fair with a variety of employers including Waste Management, Bright Star, Good Eggs, Accent Care, and much more. Employers are seeking to fill the following positions:
· Security Guards
· Warehouse
· CNA & Caregivers
· Drivers
· Construction Trades Training
· Administrative Assistants
· Medical Assistants
To participate, please complete a pre-screening form. Upon completion, a Job Developer or Career Development Specialist will contact you for a pre-screening interview and immediate referral if qualified.
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B. Artist Relief Fund
To be eligible for a relief grant, applicants must be:
- Practicing artists able to demonstrate a sustained commitment to their work, careers, and a public audience;
- Experiencing dire financial emergencies due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
- 21 years of age or older;
- Able to receive taxable income in the U.S. (e.g. citizen, green card holder, and/or permanent resident who can provide a W9 and SSN or ITIN);
- Residing and working in the U.S. for the last two years;
- Not a full-time employee, board member, director, officer, or immediate family member of any of the coalition partners;
- Not previously awarded a relief grant from this fund.
Please note that the Artist Relief coalition partners will make final eligibility determinations as needed. Learn more by reviewing this
FAQ
.
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C. Relief For Our Undocumented Workers.
There are several Oakland residents who make significant contributions to our community, yet have been unable to access the many resources being made available fo to their status undocumented residents.
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5. Family Supportive Services
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A.Community Kitchen
The Chamber Foundation is excited to partner with
Community Kitchens
,
a free meal program created to serve Oakland communities suffering from food insecurity during the Covid-19 crisis, as their fiscal sponsor.
By engaging local restaurants in this effort, Community Kitchens not only feeds Oakland's most vulnerable but also brings much-needed revenue to our deeply impacted small restaurants.
DONATE TODAY
and follow
@ckoakland
on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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B.Black College Expo
April 17th, 2020 1-5pm
Black College Expo LIVE is an ONLINE Experience for students to get access to colleges, highlighting HBCUs. Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Students can get ACCEPTED on the SPOT! College Application FEES Waived, and get SCHOLARSHIPS on the spot!
Colleges and universities statewide have waived the SAT as a requirement for admission and are accepting Pass/No Pass grading options.
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C. Volunteers Needed
Call for Oakland Volunteers
: The City continues to seek able and healthy volunteers to help deliver food and medicine to our seniors and low-income families. We also need help sorting at food banks. Over 70 volunteers have already been deployed.
Please sign up here to
help.
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6. Homeless Encampment Management
Survey
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While we shelter in place to flatten the curve of coronavirus transmission, it is important to continue the efforts we started before COVID-19 emerged –aggressively addressing our homelessness crisis.
Your input is vital to the City Council as we make critical decisions about how homeless encampments should be managed and serviced.
Please complete the survey below, designed to capture the perspective of those who live and work in Oakland.
Homeless Encampment Management Policy
Survey
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Question or Concerns? Contact The District 6 Team:
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