During Tuesday’s San Jose City Council meeting, councilmembers discussed new arrangements for indoor establishments and reducing homeless encampments near waterways.
Andrew Ehrich, assistant to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) director, discussed in detail the changes to Santa Clara County public health orders as indoor businesses and recreational establishments, were allowed to reopen on Oct. 14.
“California continues to structure its COVID-19 public health restrictions for each county, according to California Blueprint for a Safe Economy,” Ehrich said.
The state updated its reopening requirements in order to better respond to the needs of those disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
According to the California Department of Public Health, the reopening requirements attempt to address the coronavirus spread in all communities, especially those disproportionately impacted, as a measure to protect all communities.
Kip Harkness, deputy city manager, said the high unemployment rate and growing economic disparity is disproportionately affecting low-income, Black and Hispanic communities.
California’s updated reopening standards will help measure the impact of COVID-19 in underserved communities and will be critical in helping officials decide which tier each county is in and what can reopen.
Santa Clara County meets all criteria of the California Blueprint for a Safe Economy in order to transition to the orange tier.
The most restrictive rules apply to tier purple, while the least restrictive rules apply to tier yellow. Santa Clara County is transitioning from red to orange tier.
Indoor establishments reopen
Under the orange tier guidelines, indoor establishments such as pools, restaurants, family entertainment centers, places of worship and fitness centers can reopen at limited capacity.
Based on the city’s recovery plan and the state's Blueprint for a Safer Economy, businesses in Santa Clara County can substantially reopen but must enforce strict public health protocols.
Bars, breweries and distilleries that sell alcohol can only open outdoors. In addition, outdoor gatherings have a 200-person limit, according to Ehrich.
Concert venues, nightclubs and theme parks are not allowed to open yet, but most indoor businesses are allowed to reopen once the county enters the yellow tier when there is minimal risk of COVID-19 spreading, according to Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
During public comments, community members and small business owners urged councilmembers to expand the time frame’s Al Fresco initiative. The initiative allowed establishments to close at 10 p.m., but business owners would like to close at midnight instead.
The Al Fresco Initiative was developed by the City of San Jose to maximize business opportunities during the pandemic by moving dining operations outside.
Removal of trash, debris at homeless encampments
District 10 Councilmember Johnny Khamis questioned Deputy City Manager Jim Ortbal about abating and displacing homeless encampments.
“I know that the CDC gave us guidelines on removing encampments, but I think it is really vital for us to at least remove encampments when it comes to the rivers and waterways,” Khlamis said.
Khamis said the city council needs to prioritize moving these encampments away from any waterways. Khamis shared his concerns from a previous $100 million settlement, where a high percentage of fecal matter was found in waterways.
Ortbal explained that the CDC does not recommend abating encampments at this time because of the risk of spreading COVID-19 to multiple sites by relocating members of the encampment.
“Abating encampments, even along the creeks, they don't have a shelter location for them to go or a designated alternate and camp location,” Ortbal said. “They do not recommend us to abate now.”
District 4 Councilmember Lan Diep agreed with Ortbal and emphasized the advice from public health experts.
Aside from COVID-19 limitations to abating encampments, Diep wanted to pursue other solutions, such as implementing sanction encampments in the city.
“We should not be moving people unless we have a place to put them in,” Diep said.
He clarified he is not endorsing the idea nor rejecting it, but that the notion of simply relocating individuals should not be brought into question.
