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Home My WebLink About2020-04-17; Coronavirus Response Update 35; Harrison, David Fire Department Safety Center 2560 Orion Way | Carlsbad, CA 92010 | 760-931-2141 Memo ID #2020067 Council Memorandum April 17, 2020 To Honorable Mayor Hall and members of the City Council From: David Harrison, Assistant Director of Emergency Services Via: Scott Chadwick, City Manager Re: Coronavirus Response Update 35 The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the City Council with an update on the city’s response actions related to COVID-19. Please note, this memo focuses on actions and information that are new since the last update. Emergency Operations Center • Emergency Operations Center activated to support COVID-19 mitigation and response operations and information sharing. • Participated in regional Unified Disaster Council teleconference meeting. Agenda included a COVID-19 brief summarizing information available through daily briefings and reports. • CUSD and Sage Creek High School have both approved city mentoring support for Sage Creek’s student meal delivery program for seniors, Grocery Grab Regional status of outbreak (all data from April 15 at 5 p.m.) California Confirmed cases 27,201 Increase from day before 520 Deaths 896 San Diego County Confirmed cases 2,087 Increase from day before 75 Deaths 63 Carlsbad Confirmed cases 50 Change from day before 0 CORONAVIRUS ACTIONS April 17, 2020 Page 2 Police Department • Update on homeless outreach efforts: o Homeless Outreach Team continues to conduct extra patrols of parks, beaches and other areas to monitor social distancing among the homeless. Officers are passing out hygiene kits with water and COVID-19 awareness paperwork. o Homeless population appears to have increased in the Village. Church of the Advent has been providing daily meals to the homeless in the area. o From Monday to Thursday this week, HOT contacted 10 people to offer help. Four accepted resources while two declined. HOT officers have issued no citations. o Working with other local cities to share best practices. o Homeless services manager is researching possible federal funding for housing and food for the homeless. o There are 41 formerly homeless people now sheltered at the Hyland Inn, 35 from Carlsbad, four from Oceanside and two from Escondido. Each one has been assigned a case manager to help them find permanent housing and other services. A public health nurse visits the inn to offer treatment options three days a week. HOT is assisting with security checks. o All 50 emergency shelter beds at La Posada are filled. Homeless services manager has been regularly checking in with that shelter. Parks & Recreation • Provided 1,179 meals during the past week to Carlsbad residents 60 years of age or older, via the Senior Nutrition Meal Program. o 706 meals were delivered to residents’ homes by staff; 473 meals were picked- up at the Senior Center by residents. o Total number of meals provided represents a 68% increase in the average total number of meals served pre-COVID-19. • Assigned part-time staff to work on a continuing basis with Library & Cultural Arts staff in support of the Sew2Care program. • Provided staff, shade canopies and folding tables to Carlsbad High School to support its food drive. Library & Cultural Arts • Staff found an e-book library available to all Californians with no library card needed. The enki California Digital Library collection includes books for young readers and young adults, cookbooks and travel books, science fiction and fantasy and other offerings. Links have been added to the library’s website. Public Works • Ridership on the Carlsbad Connector shuttle for the past four weeks have been down to 5 to 25 riders a week compared to over 400 riders a week before the COVID-19 crisis. CORONAVIRUS ACTIONS April 17, 2020 Page 3 The one-year pilot project expires in early June and staff plans to present a proposal to the City Council next month to extend the agreement with NCTD and SANDAG. The NCTD approved the extension yesterday. Staff may recommend suspending this service until the public health orders have been lifted. • Signs will be put up to inform pedestrians that they do not need to push buttons to cross Carlsbad Village Drive from State Street to Interstate 5 during business hours. These buttons were previously timed to align with traffic signals. Staff is also reviewing data on pedestrian use of crosswalk buttons citywide to determine whether other signals should be changed. Community Development • Update on building permit activity: Week ending April 16 February weekly average Permits issued 70 96 Inspections* 208 290 Permits finalized 24 51 *All inspections conducted with necessary social distancing measures Human Resources • Status of employees with possible COVID-19 exposure: Cleared to return to work 33 Self-quarantined due to symptoms, have not been tested 3 Self-quarantined while waiting for test results 1 Communication & Engagement • Created and shared the following with the public on city communication channels: o Recap of county’s news conference including COVID-19 case numbers in city, county and state o A playbook outlining the national guidelines for reopening states, regions and the U.S. o Recognition of Carlsbad life science companies contributing to COVID-19 relief efforts o Support for older adults including the county’s aging hotline and Carlsbad’s You Are Not Alone program o Tips on celebrating Earth Month from home o #Sew2Care volunteer appreciation o Time lapse video of an Art at Home project for any age o Reminder about a virtual tour of the Carlsbad Flower Fields • Prepared and distributed daily update from the city: o City survey results on how COVID-19 is affecting the community and their priorities for city information, support or services o Budget priorities and next steps CORONAVIRUS ACTIONS April 17, 2020 Page 4 o Governor’s enhanced unemployment benefits o COVID-19 recovery statistics o City resources such as Library@Home live chat, programs and meals for seniors and springtime scavenger hunt o How to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 topics • Updated city’s short-term vacation rentals page with news that these rentals are being closed, the exceptions and the official notice sent to property owners • Updated city’s COVID-19 webpage: o Community survey results o National plan for reopening • Sent out an email to all volunteers asking to send in pictures/videos of them sewing for the #Sew2Care project • Responded to one council inquiry on COVID-19 restrictions, bringing total to 22. • Responded to 7 questions and comments on the city’s social media platforms and Communication & Engagement department’s email. CORONAVIRUS ACTIONS April 17, 2020 Page 5 CORONAVIRUS ACTIONS April 17, 2020 Page 6 cc: Celia Brewer, City Attorney Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager, Public Works Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services Michael Calderwood, Fire Chief Neil Gallucci, Police Chief Maria Callander, Information Technology Director David Graham, Chief Innovation Officer Judy von Kalinowski, Human Resources Director Kristina Ray, Communication & Engagement Director Nick Ordille, Assistant Fire Chief