COVID-19 Resource & Action Guide, Part 2
Coronavirus Resource And Action Guide
Joseph Smooke | 03/24/2020
Photo Credit: Joseph Smooke
As we continue to shelter-in-place, we know that everyone is doing their best to stay healthy and help each other. The landscape keeps shifting minute by minute. People Power Media will keep doing our best to bring you the latest ways to stay engaged. If you missed the first resource guide, you can view it here. This list of actions and resources is focused on San Francisco, the East Bay and California.
SUPPORT THOSE WITHOUT HOMES
As always, those who are most vulnerable are at the greatest risk. For people who are un-housed, this means infection, delays in diagnosis and treatment, faster transmission because of lack of opportunities for social distancing, and lack of sufficient nutrition.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that homeless encampments should not be cleared “unless individual housing units are available.”
Take Action! Stop the Sweeps! Sign the Coalition on Homelessness’ petition, and read the complete set of demands of the Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP).
Donate Money to WRAP and the SF Coalition on Homelessness. (For WRAP, note on your check or on the online form “COVID support” and specify whether you want the funds to be used in San Francisco, the East Bay, Los Angeles, Denver, Portland or Sacramento, or if you want WRAP to direct your donation to those most in need.)
Donate Tents, Sleeping Bags & Pads, Hand Sanitizer, Cleaning Supplies
Do you have extra camping gear at home? Did you recently receive your REI dividend? (This is a link to sanitizer & other essentials.) Donate your dividend! This is the tent that WRAP says has been particularly useful.
For WRAP, contact Paul Boden at wrap@wraphome.org to arrange where to drop them off in San Francisco.
For the Coalition on Homelessness, you can drop off supplies, or you can order supplies online and have them delivered to either of these two San Francisco addresses: Brian Edwards, 674 Hayes St. 415-967-3911. Christin Evans, 632 Ashbury St. 510-459-5451 (call first to arrange.)
EVICTIONS
There’s still so much confusion about whether tenants will be evicted if they are unable to pay the rent, and whether homeowners face a risk of foreclosure if they can’t pay their mortgage. We have received so many questions from people who are confused by the orders from the White House, Sacramento and from San Francisco’s Mayor. Here’s an amazing resource from our friends at the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project that sorts it all out, city by city and state by state. Also refer back to our first resource guide.
For Tenants
At the State Level. Take URGENT Action! Sign the letter for a statewide moratorium on evictions. Governor Newsom will be updating his policy tomorrow (March 24). Newsom previously issued an executive order that authorizes local governments to act to protect tenants and homeowners, but this is not a moratorium on evictions.
At the Local Level. Take Action for Oakland! Sign on to this petition urging Oakland to stop evictions.
SF Mayor Breed created a moratorium on evictions, but there are rules that have to be followed, otherwise tenants could still be at risk. To make sure you’re following these rules, contact Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco, or the SF Tenants Union.
At the Federal Level. There is no national moratorium on evictions. For public housing tenants, the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has provided “guidance” in a document that reiterates that if the tenants' income decreases, they can apply for a reduction in their rent. There are no protections nationally for other tenants.
For Homeowners
HUD announced “relief” for homeowners on March 18. This action authorizes the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) “to implement an immediate foreclosure and eviction moratorium for single family homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages for the next 60 days.” The Federal Housing Finance Agency followed that with a directive to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac “to suspend foreclosures and evictions for at least 60 days… [for] homeowners with an Enterprise-backed single-family mortgage.”
National Action! You can sign up with the Right to the City Alliance to take part in their actions for a nationwide rent and mortgage freeze. You can also endorse the national Housing Justice Platform.
HELP YOUR NEIGHBORS
Take Action! Sign up to help your neighbors through the Help Map on NextDoor.
REJECT RACISM
Take Action and Report Racism! If you or someone you know has faced discrimination in any form they should file a complaint right away with the SF Human Rights Commission. If the abuse is physical, call 911.
Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) has established a reporting center and they, along with other organizations, will provide resources for impacted individuals and develop education and media campaigns to curtail racial profiling.
FOOD
Take Action & Donate! to the SF-Marin Food Bank or make sure a neighbor in need is signed up to receive food. You can also donate food to the Homeless Youth Alliance.
Take Action! Shop Safely. Shop locally.
This is a list of some SF food businesses that are open.
If you can shop online, check out Instacart. You can order from local markets like Rainbow Co-op. Other grocery delivery options include Peapod, Safeway, Whole Foods, and Ranch 99.
Order from your local restaurants. Here’s a partial list of open San Francisco restaurants and a similar list for the East Bay. Is there a restaurant you like that's not on the list? Call them to see if they're open. Chances are, they’re still open but with reduced hours.
Before you place your order, check with your neighbor. They might need something too!
N95 FACE MASKS & MEDICAL SUPPLIES
Take Action! Donate your extra N95 masks and other medical supplies to local hospitals. Here is a comprehensive, up to date list of where and how to donate.
INTERNET SERVICE
Take Action! Sign this petition to demand internet bill forgiveness for people relying heavily on the internet at this time.
The Media Mobilizing Project works to make sure we all have affordable, accessible internet access, which is crucial right now. Comcast and other internet service providers are offering a couple months free internet service for new customers during this time. Click on this document to learn more.
Let the Media Mobilizing Project know if you or someone you know is struggling with internet access or unfair billing.
LIBRARIES
Libraries are of course closed, but they have expanded the amount of titles that you can check out online. When you visit your library's website, you'll find e-books, e-audiobooks, movies and music that you can stream, and digital versions of magazines and newspapers.
SYMPTOMS
Take Action for your health! There are new reports showing that early symptoms of coronavirus are the loss of taste and smell. So, if you notice that things don't taste or smell like they used to- and before you get a fever or a cough or feel that tightness in your chest, get tested!
SF UNITED IN CRISIS
People Power Media is part of a coalition of grassroots organizations in San Francisco working hard to make sure people who are most vulnerable are supported during this time of crisis.
Check out the platform, petition and list of organizations that you can support in a variety of ways.