Fellow Oaklanders,

On Friday, our City Council passed a rent moratorium – for both commercial and residential renters – that pauses rents until May 31. It also freezes rents, bars any late fees, and bans evictions during this time.

For homeowners, Governor Newsom announced an agreement with banks that puts a 90-day grace period on mortgages (only one month for Bank of America loans). Residents should click here to learn more.

All told, this gives Oakland renters some of the strongest protections in California. I want to thank Councilmembers Nikki Fortunato Bas and Dan Kalb , and City Attorney Barbara Parker , for co-authoring the emergency ordinance .

Small business owners should continue to check our Oakland Business Assistance Center for the latest updates on resources to help you during this difficult time.
On Thursday, we hosted another Online Town Hall to give updates on the City’s response and answer your questions. We’ll continue to host Town Halls at least once a week until the order is lifted and continue to connect residents with resources.

To view the meeting from the start click here or to jump in at key interest points:

My opening remarks and update on city resources.

Alexandria McBride, the City of Oakland’s Chief Resilience Officer, addresses the city’s response and new info for residents.

Dr. Erica Pan, Interim Health Officer, Alameda County Public Health Department gives a status update on the public health order and the spread of the virus.

Jenna Gerry, senior attorney Legal Aid at Work, explains worker’s benefits and why it’s critical for our ‘gig workers’ and undocumented residents to apply as well.

Chanée Franklin-Minor, Manager of the City of Oakland’s Rent Adjustment Program , talks about tenant’s rights and resources . (Important to note this was recorded one day before the City Council’s vote on rent moratoriums.)

Daryel Dunston, City of Oakland Homelessness Administrator, gives details about Oakland’s outreach efforts and coordination with Alameda County to serve our unsheltered residents.

To hear answers to questions submitted live by viewers, click here .

And please continue to check the City of Oakland website for latest updates and future Online Town Halls.
Our Zoom calls are growing in reach and frequency.

On Friday I hosted a 90-minute call with 75 residents and 40 organizations who serve our immigrant and undocumented communities. If you know someone or a family who needs information in this area, please watch the meeting here , and keep an eye on the chat room sidebar for links to important websites.

A centralized hub for City of Oakland information about COVID-19 in translated languages can be found here   and here . Please share.

We want to continue to connect. If you have an idea for a community meeting via Zoom, please contact Yvonna Cazares, Director of Community Engagement at ycazares@oaklandca.gov .
This week Oakland is scheduled to open a second drive-thru testing site for our first responders and frontline workers, including healthcare professionals and public transit employees. The site will also serve frontline workers in neighboring cities and public agencies – stay tuned for more details. 

Last Friday, Oakland was one of the first cities in the nation to open a drive-thru testing site specifically for first responders . It’s served more than 200 police and fire personnel and is now open to all city employees who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms.

It’s critical that we take care of those who take care of us.
The sites were funded with help from generous contributors to the Oakland COVID-19 Relief Fund , which has raised just over $4 million – including more than 200 donors online – who’ve come together to help Oakland.
You can donate too by clicking here .

Like a lot of you, I’ve been moved daily by acts of kindness in our community. As we start our third week of the shelter in place order, I want to thank everyone who is standing strong for Oakland.

Our healthcare workers. Our grocery workers. Our food banks volunteers who deliver meals to our seniors.

This effort requires all of us, in every corner of our city, to work together.
We can stay at home. We can practice physical distance in public and in parks. We can all check in on our loved ones.

Let’s continue to take care of each other, Oakland.

Sincerely,

Mayor Libby Schaaf