Dear MCAR member,

MCAR continues to receive questions related to the Shelter-in-Place COVID-19 impact on real estate related essential activities. To recap:

  • Citizens are ordered to shelter in place and travel only to conduct essential activities as described in the updated April 3, 2020 Order.
  • Only essential activities as listed in the April 3, 2020 Order from the Monterey County Department of Health are permissible.
  • The Order requires all activities conducted outside of an individual’s residence fully comply with social distancing and preventive health directives.
  • Additional guidance related to real estate essential activities was received from the Monterey County Public Health Officer on April 16, 2020 and distributed to members (click here to see the email).
  • If there is a specific scenario that has not been addressed previously or is not specifically mentioned in the County Order contact the County Health Department COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place hotline via email: covid-19@co.monterey.ca.us or call 831-769-8700 or 831-755-4521 for guidance.
  • For more information on the legal issues related to the County Order, register and attend the Legal Update with Paul Gullion and Jan Leasure on April 29, 2020 at 1:00PM (click here to register).

It is important to note, these guidelines are not MCAR policies but rather a directive from the Monterey County Health Department - under the following authority:

County health officers have the authority under California Government Code HSC 101040 as stated below:
(a) The local health officer may take any preventive measure that may be necessary to protect and preserve the public health from any public health hazard during any “state of war emergency,” “state of emergency,” or “local emergency,” as defined by Section 8558 of the Government Code , within his or her jurisdiction.
(b) “Preventive measure” means abatement, correction, removal or any other protective step that may be taken against any public health hazard that is caused by a disaster and affects the public health.
 
As we noted above, a Live Legal Update with Paul Gullion and Jan Leasure is scheduled for April 29, 2020 at 1:00 PM and you are highly encouraged to participate. You may register for that event here: ( click here to register )

Thank you, 

Kevin