Greetings Thousand Oaks business community,
In light of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases across the state, Governor Newsom and the California Department of Public Health have announced a limited Stay at Home Order requiring generally that non-essential work, movement and gatherings stop between 10 PM and 5 AM in counties in the Purple Tier. The order will take effect at 10 PM Saturday, November 21 and remain in effect until 5 AM December 21. This is the same as the March Stay at Home Order, but applied only between 10 PM and 5 AM and only in purple tier counties that are seeing the highest rates of positive cases and hospitalizations.
At the local-level, over the past couple weeks, Ventura County (among several other California counties) has experienced a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases; 1,842 cases in last 14 days. Earlier this week, Ventura County was among 41 counties slipping back into the Purple Tier (the State’s most restrictive tier). As a result, several business types again face additional restrictions on operations until further notice. Please review the County’s November 16th Press Release here for details.
This pandemic has had a devastating impact on the health and well-being of individuals, families, and businesses across our community. With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us, please keep those impacted in mind. Minor sacrifices we as individuals can make can help to save lives and help our local businesses through this incredibly challenging time. Please follow public health expert guidance. Please avoid large gatherings. Keep small gatherings outdoors, wear your mask, and practice social distancing.
Another way to help our local businesses through the holidays is to shop locally. Shopping at businesses within Thousand Oaks helps support our local economy and community. Local businesses not only provide jobs to residents, they also enrich our community through philanthropic support to local schools, non-profit organizations, and youth sports. These positive community benefits and more are often amplified when those businesses are also locally-owned. In addition, sales taxes on purchases at Thousand Oaks businesses help pay for public programs and services for Thousand Oaks residents. In summary, when you shop local, you’re contributing to what makes Thousand Oaks such a desirable place to live, work and play.
Lastly, on November 10th, City Council voted to rescind the City’s moratorium on commercial evictions. While acknowledging the importance of the commercial eviction moratorium during the first few months of the pandemic, Council agreed a more flexible strategy was now needed to account for the duration of the pandemic as well as the unique circumstances different business types are facing. The Council expressed hope the decision would motivate landlords and tenants to negotiate rental repayment and lease terms to reflect the dynamic circumstances where they haven’t do so already.
Sincerely,
Haider Alawami, Economic Development Manager
