Join us for a Virtual Town Hall on April 14
Mayor's Message:
Friends, Like many of you, my family and I are hunkered down. Our lives have been drastically upended in unimaginable ways these past few weeks. It’s strange to think about how activities that were once routine – dropping the kids off at school, driving to work, visiting friends at the park, or enjoying a meal downtown – have been suddenly called to a halt. For many in our community, this global pandemic is having significant financial consequences and dire health impacts.
But if there’s any silver lining, it’s that this forces us to recognize how truly interconnected we all are, and how much of an impact we can all have on the health and well-being of our community. For many of us, staying home as much as possible and finding ways to contribute remotely is the best thing we can do right now. It allows us to not only protect ourselves, but also protect those who are working to meet our essential needs - medical care, food, safety and sanitation.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we are going to get there if we all do our part. Getting through this pandemic and recovering as a community will be easier if we can all stay informed and engaged.
Join me for a Virtual Town Hall and an interactive discussion on these key issues. You’ll hear about what steps the City is taking to keep our community safe, how to find resources if you’re in need, how to give back if you’re able, and what’s being done to support our local businesses. I’ll also be joined by a UCSF virologist who will talk about COVID-19 and what’s expected in the coming weeks and months. We’ll also hear local leaders and public safety experts, and there will be opportunities for you to ask questions.? |
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Virtual Town Hall is Tuesday, April 14 starting at 3 p.m.
You can participate live by visiting https://tinyurl.com/SMVirtualTH or watch the recording that will be posted after on our City’s YouTube channel.
Join me as we stay home, stay safe and stay positive.
- San Mateo Mayor Joe Goethals
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Stay Safe this Easter Weekend We know the weather is getting nicer and with Easter weekend around the corner, a lot of folks are probably itching to get outside. But it’s critically important we continue to stay home as much as possible to protect ourselves and reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
Celebrate safely by finding some family-friendly activities you can do indoors. Our Parks and Rec team are sharing some Spring-themed ideas on our Virtual Rec page too!
Park Restrictions in PlaceIf you do choose to go outdoors, please remember to follow the County's Shelter in Place Order and abide by City rules: - Only walk or bike to recreation areas within 5 miles of your home.
- Wear a mask or face covering when outdoors
- Parking lots at all City Parks are closed. Most restrooms are also closed.
- All playgrounds and courts are closed. No sports or pick-up games are allowed.
- No gatherings or picnics. Please be sure to maintain social distancing, or keeping at least 6 feet of distance from people not in your household when in our parks.
- San Mateo County parks are all closed. Areas of Seal Point Park are also closed.
- Our City parks are for passive use only and we will be increasing enforcement to keep everyone safe.
If you go to a park and it’s crowded – please go home and try again another time. Read our Parks FAQ for more information. We appreciate our community’s cooperation and wish everyone a safe Easter weekend!
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Leaving the House? Wear a Face Covering While everyone should stay home as much as possible, Bay Area health officials now urge residents to cover their nose and mouth with cloth when leaving home. The face coverings do not have to be hospital grade but need to cover the nose and mouth. Residents can use bandanas, fabric masks, scarves, and neck gaiters. Face coverings should be washed frequently with detergent and hot water. Make sure the face covering is comfortable, to avoid adjusting the mask and touching your face.
It is important that medical masks (N-95 or surgical masks) are preserved for our health workers and first responders, as medical masks are still limited in supply. Health officials continue to emphasize that staying home, frequent handwashing and physical distancing are the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If you need to leave the house, using a cloth face covering combined with these best practices may prevent to transmission of COVID-19. Read the San Mateo County Health Official’s Press Release.
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Countywide COVID Data The County Health System is publishing information about the total number of detected cases of COVID-19 in San Mateo County through an online data dashboard. The data is broken out by demographic information including gender and age range. Some people have asked why they’re not being told how many cases have been confirmed in the City of San Mateo. However, the San Mateo County Public Health Officer has not released location-specific information on the County’s number of positive COVID-19 cases, or the related fatalities. Throughout the state, each county health officer makes the decision as to how much specific information to provide about COVID-19 cases. San Mateo County is taking a conservative approach to the release of location-specific information.
It’s important to keep in mind that because of limited testing capacity, the number of cases reported only represents a small portion of the total number of likely people who have contracted the virus. Releasing data by city, while it may cause a wakeup call for some, could also cause a false sense of security for others. Additionally, there are HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) considerations regarding patient privacy. Everyone should assume the virus is in all areas, as community transmission is apparent. If and when more detailed information does get released by the County, we will do our best to provide it. Please continue to stay vigilant in your efforts and stay home as much as possible.
Property Tax Deadline Extended The San Mateo County Tax Collector announced the property tax deadline has been extended until May 4 as County buildings are closed to the public. Payments may still be made and the County doesn't recommended to wait until May 4 to pay in person once the office reopens, as long lines and proximity to others is likely.
Payment of property taxes can be made using alternative methods, including an automated phone system, by mail or the drop box located on the exterior of 555 County Center, Redwood City. Online payments can also be made at https://sanmateo-ca.county-taxes.com You can read the Tax Collector’s full message at https://bit.ly/3bO648a
Please note: the City does not regulate the collection of property taxes, and all questions must be directed to the County Tax Collector. Visit https://tax.smcgov.org/ for more information.
Social Distancing, Shelter in Place, Quarantine & IsolationWe are all learning a new vocabulary. Review the County's Health Orders for more information on these terms. |
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Most Landscaping & Construction ProhibitedThe updated San Mateo County Health Officer’s mandatory Shelter in Place Order prohibits most gardening and construction. Please review the full Order and FAQ for more details. Landscaping Rules Prohibited: Hired yard maintenance, gardening, and landscaping is prohibited. Residents and property owners must contact their gardeners to stop this service until the Order is lifted. Exceptions: Landscape maintenance necessary for the immediate safety of the residence, such to address a dangerous condition like a falling tree limb or to prevent a fire hazard. Residents of the property may work on their own yard or gardens.
Construction Rules
Prohibited: Most residential and construction and property improvements are prohibited. Exceptions: Emergency repairs needed for habitability as determined by the City’s Building Official. Minor repairs needed to maintain the immediate safety and sanitation of a home, such as provided by an electrician or plumber. Essential public infrastructure and multi-family affordable housing construction is allowed. Visit our Community Development & Construction FAQ page for more information.
What the City is Doing
Our Building Division is investigating construction complaints and proactively contacting those with active projects to alert them of the new rules. Our Parks Department is proactively contacting landscapers and will notify residents who have been reported. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we all work together to adapt to these new rules.
What You Can Do Be kind: Please remember, your neighbor may have a valid and an allowable reason to have work done on their property at this time. Note, many construction sites need to take steps to first secure their site before closing. Our best way to get through this is to speak kindly to our neighbors.
Share this information with others: Consider sharing a flyer about these rules with your neighbor. Find more information: If you have questions about the Health Official’s Shelter in Place Order, please review the Order and FAQ page .
Reporting
For construction questions, call the Building Division at (650) 522-7172 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you feel it’s necessary to report landscaping or gardening, please leave a message for our Parks Department at (650) 522-7420. Unless you truly feel it is necessary, please refrain from calling police.
Combating Fraud During COVID-19Be Aware You can help protect yourself by being aware that criminals are attempting to exploit COVID-19 worldwide through a variety of scams.?There have been a number of reports including: - Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
- Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Malicious websites and apps that appear to share virus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
- Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
- Companies promising a cure or at-home testing for COVID-19 - neither of which currently exist.
Criminals will likely continue to use new methods to exploit COVID-19 worldwide. If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, you can report it without leaving your home though a number of platforms. |
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Modifications to Parking Enforcement ProgramWe've modified parking enforcement in order to support the community’s compliance with the Shelter In Place Order. These are unprecedented times and with more people needing to stay home, there’s an increased parking demand in the neighborhoods. The City will be refocusing its parking-related efforts on education, while continuing to enforce violations that cause immediate safety concerns. - As of April 6, 2020, enforcement has been suspended for all metered parking, street sweeping, residential permit parking and expired vehicle registration.
- As of April 9, 2020, parking enforcement will focus on addressing public safety violations such as parking in a red zone or in any other zone marked as no parking, parking in a handicapped zone, blocking a fire hydrant, and blocking a crosswalk or intersection. While we hope for compliance, warnings will be issued for most other violations.
- The City is dismissing or refunding the 1,241 parking citations issued in San Mateo between March 17 – April 8, 2020. Anyone who received a parking citation during that time period will be contacted directly, and no action is needed by the registered owner.
For more information read the San Mateo Police Department’s Media Release.
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Resources for Residents We want to help make sure our community is supported and has access to resources as we all navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note most of these resources are provided by other public agencies and the wonderful nonprofit service agencies in our community.
If you or someone you know needs assistance, please call 2-1-1 or contact Samaritan House at (650) 347-3648.
Financial Assistance: Low-income residents may also apply for emergency financial assistance through the new San Mateo County Strong Fund. Please review this County resource guide for information about how to qualify and apply.
Food Resources: For information about grocery and meal programs throughout the County, contact the Food Connection Hotline at: 800-984-3663 or visit https://www.shfb.org.
Public Assistance Programs: For connections to Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs, and General Assistance, visit www.mybenefitscalwin.org or email hsa_ess_questions@smcgov.org or call 800-223-8383
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Resources for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 In addition to a global health crisis, COVID-19 is creating serious economic injuries for independent, small business owners. The City of San Mateo is here to support our business community now and in the coming months. The City has developed a Resources for Businesses and Employees webpage that summarizes a variety of programs and opportunities that may help provide relief during this time. If you are a small business owner, you may be eligible for multiple programs. Be sure to review the information the City has compiled.
Emergency Workers Need Protective EquipmentAll of San Mateo County is lending a hand to ensure we keep our community safe. The County of San Mateo is accepting donations of critical personal protective equipment (PPE) from organizations and individuals. Visit their donation web page for more information.
You can donate: Unused N95 respirators and surgical masks. Boxes and packages can be opened, as long as masks have not been used. Packages of disposable gloves, preferably nitrile exam gloves in all sizes. New containers of commercially produced hand sanitizer. New containers of disinfectants and disinfecting wipes. Packaged, unused protective goggles. New surgical gowns; fluid resistant gowns; coveralls.
Please email smcmeddonations@smcgov.org for any questions about other items you may have to donate. Supplies can be dropped off Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1300 Maple Street Redwood City, CA 94063. Visit https://www.smcgov.org/covid-19-donations |
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Donate to San Mateo County StrongWe're so proud of our community members who've been stepping up to support others in need. Now there's a way to donate directly to those impacted by COVID-19 through the San Mateo County Strong Fund.
Whether you want to give to a nonprofit, families/individuals, or small businesses - all funds will stay local & help keep us #SMCStrong!
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