A list of Media Releases and Advisories sent by the City of Sacramento regarding coronavirus (COVID-19).
101 Sacramento businesses selected to receive COVID–19 economic relief loans from City
Sacramento, Calif. (April 2, 2020) – The City of Sacramento has selected 101 local businesses to receive zero-interest loans from its $1 million COVID-19 economic relief fund. Those 101 businesses provide over 700 jobs in the City.
“Given the magnitude of the economic disruption caused by Covid-19, this $1 million is a solid start but just the beginning of what government at all levels will be doing to protect our businesses, workers and non-profit organizations,” said Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “I’m happy that 101 small businesses in Sacramento can now breathe a little easier.”
This COVID-19 economic relief fund was established as part of the City’s efforts to mitigate the financial effects of the disease on our community. The City also established a temporary ban on evictions for residential and commercial tenants, waived delinquent utility penalties and set up an essential worker childcare program for first responders, health care workers and essential City staff.
“We knew we needed to act quick to throw a lifeline to our local small businesses, artists and non-profits,” said Councilmember Steve Hansen. “Our economic relief loan program in hand with our temporary commercial eviction ban should help the thousands of City businesses in need. We’re tirelessly working with our federal partners, local chambers and other businesses partners to provide immediate help and resources to those in need.”
The City received 1,402 completed applications with an additional 2,545 draft applications. The businesses were selected by City staff on a first-come, first-serve basis to qualified applicants upon submission of all required information and supporting documents. Micro businesses with 5 or fewer employees received $5,000. For businesses with 6 employees or more, the loan amount is determined by the number of full-time equivalent employees with a maximum loan amount of $25,000. The City is working with Five Star Bank to disperse the loans starting next week. The funds may be used to cover the day-to-day operating expenses of the business such as payroll.
The selected businesses are geographically located all over the City of Sacramento and include newly opened and long-standing restaurants, retail business with store fronts, day care providers and non-profits. The 101 businesses include 49 microbusinesses and 52 businesses. Of those numbers 12 are childcare and six non-profits. It includes businesses from all the city council districts.
Eligibility requirements for the businesses can be found here: https://cityofsac.forms.fm/covid19-relief
Find additional COVID-19 resources for businesses and employees here: https://www.cityofsacramento.org/Economic-Development/Economic-Relief
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Singer, Office of the City Manager, 916-995-4385
Mary Lynne Vellinga, Office of Mayor Darrell Steinberg, 916-599-3724
MEDIA ADVISORY: SACRAMENTO FIREFIGHTER TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
Sacramento, Calif (March 25, 2020) - As of this morning, the Sacramento Fire Department has learned that a member of our agency has tested positive for Covid-19. The member is currently at home resting and monitoring symptoms. This particular employee has not been on duty since March 11th due to previously scheduled time off. The Sacramento Fire Department is following the recommendations set forth by the Sacramento County Public Health Department and the policies of the Sacramento County Emergency Medical Services Authority.
Media Contact
Keith Wade, Public Information Officer
(916) 767-2216 cell
kwade@sacfire.org
Updating our Community: The Sacramento Police Department Response to COVID–19
Sacramento, Calif. (March 23, 2020) - The primary focus of the Sacramento Police Department is to ensure the safety of officers, professional staff and the entire community. Below are some updates in response to questions and concerns that we have received from our community:
Concerns Regarding Enforcement of the Sacramento County Stay at Home Order:
- You will not be stopped by the Sacramento Police Department solely to inquire the purpose of your travel.
- Rumors stating that a curfew is in effect are false. Please continue to adhere to the guidelines in the Stay at Home Order and limit outside contact to essential business.
- Please maintain social distancing and refrain from gathering in groups.
- The California Army National Guard has been activated to assist with humanitarian aid and will not be assisting with law enforcement functions. They will be assisting local food shelters with the distribution of food to boost volunteer numbers. If additional COVID 19 testing sites are set up, the National Guard would assist at those sites as well.
- Sacramento County has set up a page with information on the Stay at Home Order, FAQs, and contact numbers if you have any other questions. Below is the link to that page: https://www.saccounty.net/COVID-19/Pages/default.aspx
Keeping Businesses Safe During This Time:
- -Officers are proactively checking on businesses as part of their regular patrol duties.
- Please report any suspicious activity by calling 911 or via our non-emergency number at 916-808-5471.
Together, we can ensure that our community is safe during these unprecedented times. The Sacramento Police Department is committed to keeping you informed of important changes that may affect our community. Please continue to follow our social media pages for any important updates regarding this situation.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sacramento Police Media Relations · (916) 808-0808 · pio@pd.cityofsacramento.org
City, community groups launch fundraising effort for COVID-19 relief
Sacramento (Monday, March 23) Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Councilmember Jay Schenirer on Monday joined a broad coalition of public, private, non-profit, labor and philanthropic partners to launch a fundraising effort to help those hurt economically by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When there has been a need, Sacramento has always stepped up,” said Councilmember Jay Schenirer, who spearheaded the effort for the City. “I know this time will be no different. We will get through this crisis and emerge stronger.”
The campaign, called Donate4Sacramento, received its first major commitments on Sunday: $150,000 from Health Net; $150,000 from Sierra Health Foundation; $30,000 from Comcast and $10,000 from the Teichert Foundation.
“This fund was established to deepen and expedite support for workers, families, community organizations and small businesses impacted by the health and financial circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of whom were already experiencing some of our society’s deepest inequities,” said Chet P. Hewitt, president and CEO of Sierra Health Foundation and The Center, a founding member of the Donate4Sacramento fund. “We are proud to commit our time, expertise, energy and dollars to this partnership fund and invite all to join us in building hope for the future together.”
Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who asked Schenirer to lead the fundraising effort for the City Council, said he was proud of the way corporate and philanthropic entities in the city are already stepping up to help, and added, “Every donation helps, no matter how large or small. With this fund, we can demonstrate our commitment to leave nobody in Sacramento behind. We’re strongest when we stand together.”
The Donate4Sacramento campaign has gained local, regional and statewide support, including from the offices of state Senator Richard Pan, Congresswoman Doris Matsui and Congressman Ami Bera and Sacramento County. See a full list of partner organizations and individuals at donate4sacramento.org.
“We applaud this coalition’s energetic leadership in bringing people together to help expand the local safety net for those in need during this time of upheaval,” said Brian Ternan, CEO of Health Net, also a founding member of Donate4Sacramento. “We remain committed to our decades-long mission of transforming the health of our communities and look forward to working with the mayor in the coming months to help those most vulnerable.”
Donations can be made through the Donate4Sacramento website. You can specify that your contribution be used in one of five ways:
- Support for Families. This funding adds to the United Way California Capital Region’s COVID-19 Local Relief Fund to provide childcare, meals, rental assistance and other essential resources for families whose lives have been disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Support for Small Businesses. This support leverages and supplements the City of Sacramento’s Small Business Emergency Economic Relief Loan Program for zero-interest loans to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses and their employees.
- Services for Our Unhoused Neighbors. Providing services through area nonprofits to unhoused Sacramentans, such as emergency shelters, hygiene stations and other solutions to meet their needs.
- Nonprofit Support. This funding will be distributed through the Sacramento Region Community Foundation’s Sacramento Region Disaster Fund, which will rapidly deploy flexible resources to nonprofits working with communities impacted by COVID-19.
- General Support. Flexible funding to provide support beyond the areas identified above and wherever it is most needed.
Funds will be administered by The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, Sacramento Region Community Foundation, United Way California Capital Region and the City of Sacramento.
About Sierra Health Foundation and The Center: Sierra Health Foundation is a private philanthropy that forges new paths to promote health and racial equity in partnership with communities, organizations and leaders most critically impacted by disparities. The foundation founded The Center in 2012 to serve as an intermediary for diverse public and private partnerships focused on equity through programs and grantmaking practices centering community experience and leadership.
About Health Net: At Health Net, we believe every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. Founded 40 years ago, we remain dedicated to transforming the health of our community, one person at a time. Today, Health Net’s 3,000 employees and 85,000 network providers serve more than 3 million members. That’s nearly 1 in 12 Californians. We provide health plans for individuals, families, businesses of every size, people with Medicare and people with Medi-Cal — Coverage for Every Stage of LifeTM. Health Net also offer access to substance abuse programs, behavioral health services, employee assistance programs and managed health care products related to prescription drugs. We offer these health plans and services through Health Net, LLC and its subsidiaries: Health Net of California, Inc., Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), a Fortune 100 company providing health coverage to more than 20 million Americans. For more information, visit HealthNet.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Mary Lynne Vellinga, Communications Director, Office of the Mayor, 916-599-3724, mlvellinga@cityofsacramento.org
City leaders announce free childcare plan to help those on front lines of coronavirus response
Sacramento, Calif. (Friday, March 20) Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Mayor Pro Tem Angelique Ashby Friday announced the launch of a free Essential Worker Childcare program for first responders, health care workers and essential City of Sacramento employees.
Starting Monday, 350 childcare slots for children ages 5-12 will be up and running at eight community centers throughout the city. The program will be administered by the City’s Youth, Parks & Community Enrichment Department. The children will be kept in separate groups of 10 or less that will not intermingle.
Parents who wish to enroll their children in the program can register at https://apm.activecommunities.com/cityofsacparksandrec/Home and search under Essential Worker Child Care, where they can select their preferred location. They will be required to present identification on Monday showing they fall into one of three categories: City of Sacramento first responders, front-line health care workers who work in the City of Sacramento; and essential City of Sacramento employees.
The centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a ratio of one caregiver for every 10 children. They will be staffed by licensed and background-checked personnel who normally work in the City’s 4th “R” and START programs.
Mayor Pro Tem Ashby, who worked with City staff to create the childcare program, said it will likely expand in the coming weeks if there is enough demand. She noted that there are other childcare options available for those who don’t meet the criteria for the City program.
First responders, health care workers and essential City employees who need care for children younger than five will be referred to the YMCA, which has 60 paid slots available. Child Action, Inc., the local non-profit childcare referral service, has also set aside 50 vouchers for subsidized childcare in the community for low-income workers.
Childcare is considered an essential service under the state and local Stay at Home orders, and the majority of the daycare operations in Sacramento remain open to support those working in essential sectors. The order issued by Sacramento County Thursday requires that children be kept in separate groups of 12 or fewer.
The City’s community centers are otherwise closed, but eight of them will reopen for the purpose of providing childcare. They will not be open for the public.
Centers that will offer childcare include Sam Pannell; Belle Cooledge; George Sim; Oak Park; Coloma; Hart; Joe Mims Jr.; Hagginwood; and South Natomas.
For questions related to the program and/or registration, please email essentialworkerchildcare@cityofsacramento.org
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Mary Lynne Vellinga, Communications Director, Office of the Mayor, 916-599-3724, mlvellinga@cityofsacramento.org
small local businesses affected by COVID-19 can apply for zero-interest loans from the City
Sacramento, Calif. (March 18, 2020) - The City of Sacramento will begin accepting applications today at 5 p.m. for its $1 million economic relief fund for businesses affected by COVID-19. The fund will provide zero-interest secured loans of up to $25,000 per business.
“Staying home and limiting social interaction is what we need to do to slow the curve of coronavirus infection,” said Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “We are working furiously with our labor, state and federal partners to mitigate the financial cost to our small businesses and to workers in the City of Sacramento. I’m confident the calvary will come from many directions.”
Loans will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis to qualified applicants upon submission of all required information and supporting documents. Non-profits may apply, but the priority for these loans is for restaurants, retail business with store fronts and day care providers that demonstrate a clear hardship due to COVID-19. Approximately $250,000 of the total fund will be made available for micro businesses with five or fewer employees.
The funds may be used to cover the day-to-day operating expenses of the business such as payroll. Loans will be available with payments beginning within 90 days of initial disbursement.
“Our main goal is to provide support for our most significantly impacted small businesses to allow them to maintain their current employees,” said Assistant City Manager Michael Jasso. “As we move forward, we know that we will need to rely on all of our partners at the Federal, State, philanthropic, and institutional levels to come to the table with additional resources to help our business and non-profit community successfully weather this crisis.”
Businesses must meet certain criteria to be eligible for the loan, including:
- Be for-profit, independently owned local businesses (non-profit organizations may apply for funding, but priority will be given to for-profit businesses)
- Have no more than 25 full-time employees
- Be a restaurant, retail, service, or entertainment business with a storefront; or a day care establishment
- Have a physical establishment within the city of Sacramento (no home-based businesses with the exception of child-care businesses)
- Have a demonstrated hardship due to COVID-19, such as a loss in revenue
- Have written sick leave policies to assist workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Comply with the spirit of the City's non-discriminatory policy
- Not include a business owner that has previously applied for a zero-interest loan under this program
- Be in good standing with the City of Sacramento (e.g., current on bills, no liens or judgments, etc.)
- Have a current City of Sacramento Business Operations Tax Certificate (BOTC) and have been in operation as of March 13, 2020
A small business hotline has been established to help businesses navigate the City’s loan program. City business owners may call 916-808-7196 and staff will return their call within one businesses day, depending on call volume.
Find full details on the application process here: cityofsacramento.org/covid19-relief
Applications will be accepted starting at 5 p.m. today, March 18, 2020.
Other COVID-19 resources available to residents and businesses can be found here: cityofsacramento.org/Emergency-Management/COVID19
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Singer, Media & Communications Specialist, 916-995-4385
Sacramento City Council "emergency" closed session
Sacramento, Calif. (March 12, 2020) – On March 12, 2020 at 5 p.m. there will be an “emergency” closed session at of the Sacramento City Council. An “emergency” session is defined as a limited type of council meeting that is held when prompt action is needed. These meetings are held with short notice.
On March 13, 2020 at 1 p.m. there will be a special meeting of the Sacramento City Council. In response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-25-20, which directs Californians to follow public health directives including canceling large gatherings of more than 250 people, the March 13 Council meeting will be streamed live but not physically open to the public.
Meetings will be continued to be posted and subsequently viewed here: http://sacramento.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=21
MEDIA CONTACT
Wendy Klock-Johnson, Assistant City Clerk
(office) 916 808-7509
(cell) 916 616-8440
wkjohnson@cityofsacramento.org