Information on State and Federal Benefit Payments

From – https://edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019/pandemic-unemployment-assistance.htm

As part of the federal CARES Act, the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program helps unemployed Californians who are business owners, self-employed, independent contractors, have limited work history, and others not usually eligible for regular state UI benefits who are out of business or services are significantly reduced as a direct result of the pandemic. The provisions of the program once operational include:

• Up to 39 weeks of benefits starting with weeks of unemployment beginning February 2, 2020, through the week ending December 26, 2020*, depending on when you became directly impacted by the pandemic.
• An additional $600 to each PUA weekly benefit amount you may be eligible to receive, as part of the separate CARES Act Pandemic Additional Compensation program. Only the weeks of a claim between March 29 and July 25* are eligible for the extra $600 payments.

* Under the CARES Act of 2020, the $600 additional benefits are available through 07/31/20. However, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued guidance to clarify that, for most Californians, the last full week of benefits will end on 07/25/20. Similarly, the PUA program has a legislative end date of 12/31/20, but for Californians the last full week of benefits will end on 12/26/20.

Benefits can be retroactive to weeks starting on or after February 2, 2020, depending on your last day of work due to COVID-19 and regardless of when you submitted your claim application. The effective date of your claim will begin the Sunday of the week when you last worked and became unemployed due to reasons directly related to COVID-19.

Important Information

Note: Because this is a brand new program, each state will need time to develop all of the necessary system programming, forms, processes, and procedures. This page will be updated as information becomes available, including when and how to apply for these benefits. Once this new complex program is built and staffed, it will likely rival the size of the regular UI program the EDD already administers.

As we work to implement this new program, you can:

• Review the eligibility requirements the federal government has prescribed in order to receive these federally paid benefits.
• Visit the Labor Workforce Development Agency’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance FAQs for more information.
• Contact your local America’s Job Center of California^SM where EDD staff work with local partners to provide employment assistance. You could be eligible for Supportive Services funding to help you with basic needs.

Eligibility

The PUA benefits are payable if you don’t qualify for regular UI benefits in California or another state and also do not qualify for State Disability Insurance or Paid Family Leave benefits. This includes:

• Business owners
• Self-employed individuals
• Independent contractors

You can also be eligible if you qualified for regular UI benefits, but have collected all benefits for which they are eligible.

If you are not a citizen of the United States, you cannot be paid PUA benefits unless you were legally permitted to work in the United States at the time such services were performed. In addition, you must be authorized to work for any week of PUA benefits claimed to be eligible for payments.

You must also meet one of the following criteria:

• You have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and are seeking a medical diagnosis.
• You are unable to work because a health care provider advised you to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19.
• A member of your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
• You are providing care for a family member or a member of your household who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
• A child or other person in the household for whom you have primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school or another facility that is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 and the school or facility care is required for you to work.
• You became the breadwinner or major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a direct result of COVID-19.
• You have to quit your job as a direct result of COVID-19.
• Your place of employment is closed as a direct result of COVID-19.
• You were scheduled to start a job that is now unavailable as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
• You are unable to reach the place of employment as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
• If you work as an independent contractor with reportable income, you may also qualify for PUA benefits if you are unemployed, partially employed, or unable or unavailable to work because the COVID-19 public health emergency has severely limited your ability to continue performing your customary work activities, and has thereby forced you to stop working.

Benefit Payments

In order to provide benefits as quickly as possible, payments will be issued in phases. If you qualify for PUA, and depending on the effective date of your PUA claim, the initial payments you will receive are as follows:

• Phase 1 – $167 per week for each week you were unemployed from February 2, 2020 to March 28, 2020 due to a COVID-19 related reason.
• Phase 2 – $167 plus $600 per week for each week you were unemployed from March 29, 2020 to July 25, 2020, due to a COVID-19 related reason.
• Phase 3 – $167 per week, for each week from July 26, 2020 to December 26, 2020, that you are unemployed due to a COVID-19 related reason, up to a total of 39 weeks (minus any weeks of regular UI and certain extended UI benefits that you have received).

Note: If you qualify for your claim to be backdated to an earlier PUA effective date based on your last day of work, you could receive payment for prior weeks you were unemployed due to COVID-19.

You will be required to “certify” for your benefit payment. Certifying is the process of answering basic questions every two weeks that tells us you’re still unemployed and otherwise eligible to continue receiving biweekly payments.

When to File a Claim

We have a dedicated team working around the clock with state partners to build this new program as quickly as possible. The EDD will begin accepting online applications for this program on Tuesday, April 28. This page will be updated with instructions for filing a claim for PUA benefits when details become available.

If you are unsure if you are an independent contractor or an employee who could be eligible for benefits, file for regular Unemployment Insurance benefits and we will determine your eligibility.

After you have filed, refer to our step-by-step UI claims process. You’ll learn what to expect and the actions you need to take through the course of your claim for receiving benefit payments as long as you’re eligible.

No late fees for 120 days

By Daniel Borsuk

Residential and commercial renters will get some rental and eviction relief during the COVID-19 pandemic after the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to approve an ordinance containing a 180-day grace period, two months more than what supervisors initially had in mind, during a special meeting on Tuesday. (See entire ordinance, here).

By liberally extending the grace period an extra two months, supervisors are handing over to thousands of renters in the county more financial and housing relief during this stressful period when COVID-19 has decimated their financial livelihood. In March, the county’s unemployment rate was 4 percent and April’s unemployment rate will very likely rise sharply when it is release later on.

Instead of inserting a 120-day grace period that other counties like Santa Clara County have inserted in its COVID-19 rent control and eviction moratoria ordinance, Contra Costa County supervisors at the request of District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond convinced other supervisors that a longer grace period is needed given the uncertainty of the duration of the medical and economic repercussions from the current local and state-mandated stay-at-home orders.

Gioia said he favored the more expansive 180-day grace period because the ordinance, as it was proposed to supervisors, does not protect all tenants whether they are delinquent or current in their rent.

“You have to be up to date on rent in order to be protected by the ordinance presented by counsel,” said Gioia. “It’s very unfortunate that the governor’s order requires this. Tenants must be current on rent to qualify for the grace period.”

Supervisors listened to 45 emailed comments from county residents, most of whom were in support of at least a 120-day grace period, little knowing that Gioia would propose a more expansive 180-day grace period.

“We’re dealing with uncertain times,” said District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood. “We’re dealing with people who have not paid rent. People who have lost jobs because businesses have shut down.”

District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill preferred to retain the ordinance’s 120-day grace period clause saying it was sufficient for renters, but eventually agreed to the 180-day grace period for rent and eviction moratoria purposes until May 25 when supervisors plan to revisit the issue.

Other features of the ordinance taken mainly from the Santa Clara County ordinance include countywide, no-fault evictions, definition of owner, attorney fees, and no late fees.

Public Health Ad Hoc Committee Created

While COVID-19 health measures will remain in place for the foreseeable future, Board Chair Andersen proposed the creation of an ad hoc Public Health Committee that will weekly with county health department officials.

The committee that will consist of Burgis and Board Chair and District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen of Danville. The committee’s key role is to be advisory to supervisors and Contra Costa County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Farnitano who will retain ultimate authority on health issues.

“This is not meant to replace the health officer’s directive,” said Supervisor Mitchoff. “There’s been some concern about communication. People are getting frustrated.”

By Allen Payton

As of Saturday, April 18, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) is reporting a total of 685 cases of COVID-19/coronavirus, and a total of 19 deaths in the county, three more than yesterday. There are 37 people diagnosed with the virus currently hospitalized.

A total of 8,944 people have been tested for the virus in the county. There are 51 people who have tested positive for COVID-19/coronavirus in Antioch.

The county’s coronavirus dashboard also offers hospital information. It shows the daily Intensive Care Unit Occupancy Rate and Ventilator Utilization for all hospitals in the county.

The largest category of those who have been diagnosed with the virus continue to be people ages 41-60 with 251 cases.

To see the all the statistics provided by CCHS, click here.

“But, it’s problematic because going to church still isn’t considered essential” – Attorney Harmeet Dhillon

By Allen Payton

A victory, Friday in a lawsuit on freedom of worship is forcing California to allow drive-in church services.

The lawsuit against the State of California naming Governor Gavin Newsom over his executive order, was filed by San Francisco attorney Harmeet Dhillon, founder of the non-profit Center for American Liberty and co-counsel Mark Meuser, on behalf of three southern California churches and one parishioner. (See related article)

According to twitter posts by Dhillon, a government brief filed late (Friday) morning claimed that “drive in” is a “technology” like streaming video, and now OK. In response to this executive order “clarification” by opposition brief, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties update(d) their health decrees to allow drive-in worship.

“This development is a partial victory in our lawsuit, but it still does not allow in-building services – meaning people seeking spiritual guidance and fellowship safely, are given no right to do so but the same people can visit wine, pot, food, laundry shops with a mask legally,” she tweeted.

“We continue to wait for ruling on TRO (temporary restraining order),” Dhillon continued. “People of faith may be treated no less favorably than any other people in California. Reporters, termite guys, tree trimmers, baristas, stir-fry chefs, grocery workers, and customers of all have rights – so do religious leaders & followers!”

She was asked why this applies to the entire state, when she was only representing the three churches and one parishioner in Southern California.

“But I sued the State of California over the statewide order, and the counties,” she explained.

The place where the so-called policy changes were announced are hidden in the ruling, with the state agreeing that “of course drive-in churches are a technology like streaming video,” Dhillon shared. “You and I both know that’s absurd. But, it’s problematic, because going to church still isn’t considered essential.”

There’s no requirement for the state to publicize the court’s decision.

“It’s sneaky,” she said.

Asked about her clients Dhillon said, “I’m only representing those who are socially responsible, like anyone else.”

According to their website, “The Center for American Liberty defends the Free Speech rights and Civil Liberties of Americans.”

“The non-profit hired my firm to represent the plaintiffs,” she explained.

The decision was handed down by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles, which also includes Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

“I’m glad we were able to do this. This is a small thing,” Dhillon added. “You’re probably not going to see a lot of drive-in churches in the next week or two. But, it’s better than nothing, dressing up, driving in and seeing your friends.”

The order also addresses background checks for essential workers

SACRAMENTO (Apr 16, 2020) – On Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order addressing a variety of issues in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including adjusting admissions requirements for the California State University system and providing flexibility for 60 days on background checks for critical infrastructure sectors. (See the entire order, below).

Specifically, the CSU system will be able to waive hearing requirements to be able to make adjustments to admissions criteria for students applying this coming fall to enter as freshmen in the fall of 2021.

Additionally, the order will allow the California Department of Justice to develop procedures to perform name-based background checks to protect health and safety and avoid delays in processing employment for critical sectors, such as health care services and care and support for vulnerable populations.

The executive order also will allow federal stimulus checks to flow directly to custodial parents owed back child support payments and will additionally allow for commercially licensed food trucks to be able to temporarily operate in roadside rest areas for a period of 60 days, to ensure essential infrastructure workers have access to food. Caltrans will be charged with developing and implementing a process to administer the temporary permits.

The text of the Governor’s executive order can be found here and a copy can be found here.

Learn more about the state’s ongoing COVID-19 response efforts here. Visit covid19.ca.gov for critical steps Californians can take to stay healthy, and resources available to those impacted by the outbreak.

EXECUTIVE ORDER N-52-20

WHEREAS on March 4, 2020, I proclaimed a State of Emergency to exist in California as a result of the threat of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS despite sustained efforts, COVID-19 continues to spread and is impacting nearly all sectors of California; and

WHEREAS the COVID-19 pandemic and the necessary physical distancing measures implemented have affected governmental agencies, workers, private businesses, and California residents alike, with associated impacts on adherence to certain statutory and regulatory deadlines; and

WHEREAS a shortage of fingerprinting services has arisen in California despite those services being included among the essential critical infrastructure sectors identified pursuant to Executive Order N-33-20, and this shortage is impacting other essential critical infrastructure sectors, including the healthcare sector and other programs that provide care and support to vulnerable Californians; and

WHEREAS to prevent potential impairment of delivery of critical healthcare services and of care and support for vulnerable populations, the California Department of Justice, working in concert with the California Health and Human Services Agency and other agencies and departments, is developing procedures to perform name-based criminal background checks, consistent with Penal Code sections 11105.7 and 11105.75, and subject to certain conditions, including a requirement that each applicant’s identity and criminal history be verified by fingerprints as soon as practicable after an initial check based on other identifying information has been performed; and

WHEREAS individuals who are tested for COVID-19 should have access to test results, and important information on test interpretation, isolation, and care guidance, in an expeditious and deliberate manner; and

WHEREAS illness due to COVID-19 and physical distancing requirements imposed to limit spread of the virus impede the ability of the California Coastal Commission, the State Water Resources Control Board, members of the public, and others to meet certain time limits set forth in the Permit Streamlining Act and the Public Resources Code; and

WHEREAS the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures has disrupted the lives and educational progress of K-12 students, impacting their ability to meet existing admissions prerequisites for the California State University system; and

WHEREAS it is important that the trucking industry have access to food at highway rest areas while maintaining the critical supply chain throughout this state; and

WHEREAS federal financial relief provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) should be made swiftly available to individuals who would otherwise be entitled to it—including custodial parents and other caregivers entitled to past due support—notwithstanding state law providing that certain federal tax refund offsets should first be applied to support owed to the State; and

WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8571, I find that strict compliance with various statutes and regulations specified in this order would prevent, hinder, or delay appropriate actions to prevent and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes of the State of California, and in particular, Government Code sections 8567, 8571, and 8627, do hereby issue the following Order to become effective immediately:

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:

1) The timeframes set forth in Business and Professions Code, Division 4, Part 1, Chapter 3, Article 2 (Section 10150, et seq.) are hereby extended for a period of 60 days. The deadlines specified in Business and Professions Code, Division 4, Part 1, Chapter 3, Article 4 (Section 10200, et seq.), related to payment of real estate license application, and renewal fees, are hereby extended for a period of 60 days.   2) The timeframes set forth in the Business and Professions Code Division 4, Part 1, Chapter 3, Article 2.5 (Section 10170 et seq.), relating to continuing education requirements for real estate licensees, are hereby extended for a period of 60 days.

3) The deadlines specified in existing Orders issued by the Real Estate Commissioner pursuant to Business and Professions Code, Division 4, Part 1 are hereby extended for a period of 60 days.

4) The June 1, 2020 deadline specified in Education Code section 8434(g), related to the election of a representative for family childcare providers, is extended to August 1, 2020.

5) The requirements specified in Harbors and Navigation Code section 1176 and in California Code of Regulations, title 7, sections 217.5 and 217.10 that a pilot be found fit-for-duty as a condition of having his or her license renewed and that a pilot trainee be found fit-for-duty to be allowed to continue in the training program are temporarily waived. The temporary waiver of a fit-for-duty determination applies to pilots whose license expires between April 1, 2020, and July 31, 2020, and to trainees whose anniversary of admission to the training program falls between these same dates. These fit-for-duty requirements must be satisfied by December 31, 2020, unless this Order is further extended.

6) The training requirements specified in California Code of Regulations, title 7, section 215 relating to continuing education for pilots are temporarily waived for those pilots required to complete training in 2020. These pilots must satisfy these waived training requirements by June 30, 2021, unless this Order is further extended.

7) The three-year maximum length of the training program for pilot trainees specified in Harbors and Navigation Code section 1171.5 (c) and California Code of Regulations, title 7, section 214 (c) is extended by one year for trainees who have been unable to train on vessels because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

8) The provisions of California Vehicle Code section 2501 requiring all licenses issued to privately owned or operated ambulances used to respond to emergency calls, privately owned armored cars, and fleet owner inspection and maintenance stations that expire one year after the licenses are issued are hereby extended for a period of 60 days from the license expiration date. This extension is applicable to licenses expired on or after March 4, 2020, or will expire within 60 days from the date of this Order.

9) For holders of current commercial driver’s licenses or certificates, whose required medical certificate has or will expire on or after March 1, 2020, the timeframes set forth in Vehicle Code section 12804.9(c), and accompanying regulations, pertaining to possessing a valid medical certificate in order to maintain a valid commercial driver license or certificate, are waived until June 30, 2020.

10) The time limits set forth in the Permit Streamlining Act in Government Code sections 65943, 65950, 65952, and 65956, and in Public Resources Code sections 30512, 30513, 30603, 30606, 30621, 30622, 30625, 30714, and 30812 are suspended, with respect to actions by or matters before the California Coastal Commission or the State Water Resources Control Board, for a period of 60 days. This paragraph pauses the time limits in the referenced sections but does not restart them, and should be construed to toll those timeframes for 60 days, such that no time should be counted for 60 days, but that any days that elapsed prior to this suspension are still counted.

11) To the extent any provision of state law might restrict the exercise of the California Department of Justice’s authority to conduct criminal background checks pursuant to Penal Code section 11105 based on identifying information other than fingerprints for individuals performing tasks that require licensure pursuant to pursuant to Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code or providing services or care pursuant to the California Community Care Facilities Act (Chapter 3 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code), the California Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly Act (Chapter 3.2 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code), the California Child Day Care Facilities Act (Chapter 3.4 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code) or In-Home Supportive Services (Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and Welfare and Institutions Code sections 14132.95, 14132.952, and 14132.956), those provisions are suspended for a period of 60 days.

12) To the extent any provision of state law might restrict the exercise of the California Department of Justice’s authority to waive or eliminate the applicable fee for a criminal background check conducted pursuant to Paragraph 11, those provisions are suspended for a period of 60 days.     13) Health and Safety Code section 123148(b)(1) is suspended to the extent it requires a health care professional to review COVID-19 test results before those test results may be disclosed to a patient via the Internet or other electronic means, on the condition that any such disclosure must be conducted in accordance with an order of the State Public Health Officer or a local public health officer, and with guidance issued by the California Department of Public Health pursuant this paragraph. The California Department of Public Health shall issue guidance concerning large-scale COVID-19 testing, as well as appropriate test interpretation, isolation, and care measures to be undertaken in conjunction with such testing.

14) All requirements in Education Code section 89030.5, which permits a change in the criteria for admission to a California State University campus to become effective only after public hearings have been held and only after a period of at least six months or one year (as applicable) has elapsed after that change is approved by the chancellor, are waived through June 30, 2021.

15) The restrictions for commercial activities in safety roadside rest areas specified in Streets and Highways Code sections 225 and 225.5 and Vehicle Code sections 22518, 22520.5 and 22520.6, and accompanying regulations, are suspended for a period of 60 days, to the extent necessary to allow commercially licensed food trucks to operate and sell food in designated safety roadside rest areas in compliance with a temporary permit issued by Caltrans. Caltrans is authorized to develop and implement a process to issue and administer temporary permits allowing commercially licensed food truck vendors that otherwise are in compliance with state and local licensing and permitting requirements to operate and sell food in designated safety roadside rest areas. The development and implementation of this process shall not be subject to the Administrative Procedure Act, Government Code section 11340 et seq.

16) Code of Civil Procedure section 695.221(e), concerning credits to the State from certain collections received from federal tax refund offsets when the recipient of such a refund owes past due support, is suspended.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that as soon as hereafter possible, this Order be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this Order.

This Order is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, against the State of California, its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, or any other person.

Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. (California Health and Saf. Code, § 120295.)

By Kim McCarl, Assistant to the Director, Communications, Contra Costa Health Services

A new health order in Contra Costa County requires anyone working at or visiting an essential business, such as a grocery store or gas station, to wear face coverings to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The order, effective Wednesday, April 22, also requires public transit and government workers to wear masks when they come close to others, or where the public is likely to be present. (See the complete, six-page order, here.)

Members of the public must mask when they:

• work at an essential business
• are inside an essential business, such as a grocery store
• visit a healthcare provider or facility
• wait in line for or ride public transportation

Businesses must take reasonable measures, such as posting signs, to remind visitors about masking, and not serve customers who do not observe the order. Workers do not need to mask if they are alone in a personal office but must put them on when others enter.

“We now know that a significant number of people with COVID-19 lack symptoms, or become infectious before they start showing symptoms,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, Contra Costa County’s health officer. “That is why we all need to start wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where it’s sometimes hard to maintain physical distancing, such as standing in line at the store.”

The new order does not extend to people driving in personal vehicles alone or with members of their households. Contra Costa residents are encouraged to continue to observe safe physical distancing when they go out to exercise or for recreation.

When outside, everyone must carry masks or face coverings and use them whenever they come near six feet of others outside their own households.

People engaged in more strenuous exercise, such as running or bicycling, should stay further apart from others while breathing heavily and take steps to avoid breathing on others, such as moving to the other side of the road to avoid pedestrians and wearing a mask if possible.

The new order does not replace the county’s stay-at-home health order or the need to maintain physical distancing, wash hands frequently and cover coughs and sneezes – all fundamental to reducing the spread of COVID-19.

“Stay in place, maintain your space, cover your face,” Dr. Farnitano said. “One key way the COVID-19 virus spreads is through respiratory droplets that people expel when they breathe or sneeze. By masking and observing physical distancing, we can help protect everyone in the community.”

The order does not require children 12 and younger to wear masks. Children 2 years old or younger must not wear them because of the risk of suffocation.

Face coverings can be anything made of cloth, fabric or other permeable material that covers the nose and mouth and the lower part of the face. Medical-grade masks are not required – a T-shirt or bandana works fine, Dr. Farnitano said.

Masks with one-way valves for easy breathing do not qualify as face coverings under the order because they can release respiratory droplets into the surrounding air.

Visit cchealth.org/coronavirus to read the order or for more information about COVID-19. Visit the Centers for Disease and Control at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html for video instructions to make and use cloth face coverings.

By Allen Payton

As of Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) is reporting a total of 631 cases of COVID-19/coronavirus, and a total of 16 deaths in the county on their dashboard. There are 37 people diagnosed with the virus currently hospitalized.

There were 41 new cases reported on Monday, 16 more on Tuesday and 18 more cases reported on Wednesday.

Of those who have tested positive in the county, Antioch has a total of 46 cases.

A total of 8,282 people have been tested for the virus in the county.

The county’s coronavirus dashboard is now offering hospital information. It shows the daily Intensive Care Unit Occupancy Rate and Ventilator Utilization for all hospitals in the county.

The largest category of those who have been diagnosed with the virus continue to be people ages 41-60 with 227 cases, 188 cases for those age 21-40, 144 cases among those age 61-80, another 47 cases of those age 81-100 and 24 cases of those age 20 and under.

To see the all the statistics provided by CCHS, click here.

 

By Kim McCarl, Assistant to the Director, Communications, Contra Costa Health Services

Contra Costa County and several of its cities are working to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in local homeless encampments by placing handwashing stations and portable toilets near them.

Four handwashing stations and four portable toilets with attached handwashing stations were placed at Martinez’s Waterfront Amphitheater on Tuesday, the first of several sanitation equipment deliveries planned in coming days.

The stations were ordered through the Contra Costa County Emergency Operations Center in support of local cities that requested the assistance, including Antioch, Richmond and Walnut Creek.

“We must work proactively with our homeless population to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and to save lives,” said Candace Andersen, chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “People who lack housing are particularly vulnerable. Without running water, it is very difficult to wash your hands and practice the hygiene needed to reduce your risk of infection.”

City governments in Antioch, Richmond and Walnut Creek are now determining where to place as many as 10 handwashing or portable toilet stations each, based on locations frequented by residents in their communities who are experiencing homelessness.

“During this challenging time, we need to support each other. We have been working closely with all cities in Contra Costa to ensure they have what they need to meet the most pressing response needs at the local level,” said Supervisor Federal Glover, whose district includes Martinez.

Nearly 2,300 people need housing on any given night in Contra Costa, according to the most recent data available through the county’s annual homeless point-in-time count.

“Assisting people who need housing during this challenging time helps everyone,” Martinez City Councilmember Noralea Gipner said. “To flatten the curve and keep our healthcare system ready to respond, we need to reduce the risk of COVID-19 to the most vulnerable people in our community.”

CORE outreach teams from Contra Costa Health Services’ Division of Health, Housing and Homeless Services (H3) have been delivering sanitation supplies, such as hand sanitizer, to people living outdoors for several weeks to help improve sanitation at area homeless encampments.

H3 has also coordinating closely with county homeless service providers to identify clients who are at elevated risk due to age or health and place them in hotel rooms, and to temporarily transfer occupants of crowded shelters to hotels to better maintain physical distancing.

Through California’s Project Roomkey, H3 has secured 450 hotel rooms in the county for temporary use by homeless residents. As of Tuesday, no COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported at homeless shelters or service providers in Contra Costa County.

Visit cchealth.org/coronavirus to read the order or for more information about COVID-19.