San Francisco’s COVID-19 infection rate is leveling off, but Public Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax said the growth rate is still much higher than he would like to see. “We are finding about 90 new cases of COVID-19 every day. That number has started to drop a bit from its high point two weeks ago, […]
Category: City Hall
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Homelessness, Housing, Social Services
Service Providers Warn Budget Cuts Could Amplify Displacement Wave
San Francisco’s housing and homelessness service providers worry that City Hall’s budget decisions will leave them unprepared to face an expected wave of housing displacement. Interviews with staffers at a dozen nonprofits found that calls for assistance have increased by at least 30% and at some organizations by as much as 200% since March when […]
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Health
Major COVID-19 Surge in S.F.
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in San Francisco is rising rapidly and the city is facing “a major surge.” Department of Public Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax said. “In April, we experienced a surge of COVID-19 cases, which at its peak, saw 94 San Franciscans in the hospital. That number dropped to just […]
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Health
S.F. to Expand Coronavirus Testing as Cases Surge
San Francisco is conducting more than 3,000 coronavirus tests per day on average, but backlogs are developing at labs and a rising demand is making it more difficult to schedule a test. Mayor London Breed announced Wednesday that testing capacity will be expanded by about 1,400 tests per day in the coming weeks through the […]
Posted in“Civic” Podcast, City Hall, Housing
Supervisor Proposes Limit on Disruptive Construction
Supervisor Aaron Peskin has introduced legislation that aims to keep landlords from engaging in construction work in ways that disrupt the lives of their tenants who are sheltering in place. For example, it would require that landlords provide alternative electrical and water supplies if the construction they’re doing results in either being shut off. “While […]
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Economy & Business, Health
S.F. Mayor Says Indoor Malls, Non-Essential Offices to Close
UPDATE: July 17, 2020. Adds embedded audio and timestamps to summary of key points from press conference. Mayor London Breed announced this morning at a press conference that San Francisco would roll back some of its reopenings, closing indoor malls and non-essential offices on Monday. S.F. has joined a list of 30 counties on the […]
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Health
COVID-19 Hospitalizations in S.F. Could Be Ten Times Higher by October
San Francisco’s Department of Public Health says further reopening plans remain on hold as the city sees a surge in new coronavirus infections that could lead to dire consequences in coming weeks. “The virus is not only still out there, it is out there more than ever before,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the […]
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Health, Homelessness
S.F. Identifies Sites for Pop-Up COVID-19 Wards in Case of Surge
San Francisco has identified a handful of potential pop-up wards to be used in the event of a coronavirus surge to house nearly 500 COVID-positive patients who do not require hospitalization but who cannot recuperate on their own because of their housing status or medical conditions, the Department of Emergency Management confirmed in a series of emails last week.
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Health
S.F. Reopening on Pause With No New Timeline Set
San Francisco officials on Tuesday announced that because coronavirus case numbers continue to climb, indoor restaurants and outdoor bars will not be permitted to reopen on July 13, a previous target date, and no new timeline has been established. For some other businesses, reopening guidance is expected by the end of the week. “We know […]
Posted inCity Hall, Coronavirus, Health
San Franciscans Urged to Stay Home During Holiday Weekend as COVID Cases Rise
San Francisco’s Emergency Operations Center Thursday urged residents to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday weekend at home to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Over the last two weeks, the seven-day average number of new cases in the city has more than doubled and hospitalization rose by more than 50% in the last week. As of June 29, there were 67 COVID-19 patients in city hospitals, including 18 transferred in from hot spots in Imperial and Fresno counties and San Quentin Prison in Marin County. Department of Public Health Executive Director Dr. Grant Colfax said, “The best thing to do is to stay home, celebrate with members of your household and celebrate virtually with others.”