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On February 10, join Jennifer Stojkovic of sf.citi and Nicholas Merriam of sea.citi for Mapping the Tech Exodus as they compare the tech policy landscapes of longstanding tech powerhouses San Francisco and Seattle. They’ll discuss factors contributing to the tech exodus, the trend toward decentralization, what cities can do to attract tech talent, and so much more. Make sure to register below!
Register for Mapping the Tech Exodus
- 3,301,731 confirmed cases in California
- 40,926 confirmed deaths in California
- 374,007 confirmed cases in the Bay Area
*As of 9:00am PT on 2/1
COVID-19 Updates from the SF Tech Community
UPDATES FROM THE TECH COMMUNITY
We are sharing the latest COVID-19 resources from the San Francisco tech industry, as well other community-minded initiatives pioneered by sf.citi members.
- Dropbox helped power the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, hosted online from January 28 to February 3. Read the story of Tabitha Jackson, the woman in charge of planning Sundance during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A year after announcing its commitment to be carbon negative, Microsoft shared progress in its 2020 sustainability report. So far, Microsoft has reduced carbon emissions by 6 percent and purchased the removal of 1.3 million metric tons of carbon from 26 projects around the world. Microsoft also announced that progress on sustainability goals will factor into determining executive pay starting with the next fiscal year.
- Salesforce, in partnership with Accenture and Skedulo, developed the software powering California’s vaccination eligibility site, My Turn. Not only does it allow Californians to learn when they’re eligible to get vaccinated, My Turn also tracks vaccination data. Currently piloted in Los Angeles and San Diego counties, My Turn is expected to operate in all of California in early February.
UPDATES FROM THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
- On January 29, Mayor Breed announced San Francisco is providing new mental health resources for San Francisco Unified School District students and their families who need behavioral health crisis support. SFUSD students are now eligible for services from the Mobile Response Team, which offers personalized mental health and wellness services for children and youth and is expanding to serve approximately 80 additional students and families.
- On January 28, Mayor Breed delivered a State of the City Address, which you can watch in full here. She expressed optimism for San Francisco’s future and recovery from COVID-19. She also outlined some of her policy priorities, which include creating jobs, eliminating bureaucratic barriers to opening and operating small businesses, and continuing her commitment to build 5,000 units of housing per year.
- On January 27, Mayor Breed and Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax announced the hiring of Dr. Hillary Kunins as the new Director of Behavioral Health Services and Mental Health SF. An internist, addiction medicine physician, and current Executive Deputy Commissioner of Mental Hygiene at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Dr. Kunins will lead San Francisco’s Mental Health SF initiative and other behavioral health programs serving 30,000 San Franciscans.
- On January 27, Mayor Breed announced she will appoint Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), Joaquín Torres, as the next Assessor-Recorder of the City and County of San Francisco. He will fill the vacancy left by Carmen Chu, who will begin serving as San Francisco City Administrator at the beginning of February.
- On January 25, Mayor Breed and Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax announced that, starting January 28, San Francisco would reopen key sectors allowed by California’s purple tier, with some additional safety precautions. Outdoor dining will resume with tables of no more than two households—up to six people—and spaced a minimum of 6 feet apart. Other activities reopening include indoor or outdoor personal services (except those that require a mask to be removed), outdoor zoos and museums, and small outdoor gatherings. Hotels will also be allowed to resume operations, although San Francisco will continue requiring travelers from outside of the Bay Area to quarantine for 10 days.
To stay up to date with all City of San Francisco updates, follow the Mayor’s updates here.
UPDATES FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
- On January 29, Governor Newsom signed legislation to extend the state’s landmark eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021. The legislation pauses evictions for tenants who are unable to pay all or part of their rent due to a COVID-related reason. It also establishes the State Rental Assistance Program to allocate the $2.6 billion in federal rental assistance to help income-qualified tenants pay their rent after the moratorium ends. Assistance will also be extended to property owners who agree to waive 20 percent of unpaid rent.
- On January 27, Governor Newsom signed an executive order to bolster the state’s efforts to vaccinate as many Californians as quickly as possible.
- On January 25, Governor Newsom announced a series of improvements to the state’s vaccination plan. Simplifying the eligibility framework, California will adopt a statewide standard and movement through the vaccination tiers that begins with people 65+, health care workers, food and agriculture workers, and teachers and school staff. California is also launching My Turn, which allows Californians to learn when they’re eligible to get vaccinated.
To stay up to date with all State of California updates, follow the California Department of Health’s updates here.
SUPPORT OUR SAN FRANCISCO COMMUNITY
Every week, sf.citi will feature a different San Francisco nonprofit and share ways you can support its mission and work.
- La Cocina is a local nonprofit empowering low-income, mostly women food entrepreneurs in San Francisco. In addition to providing business mentorship and market opportunities to women from communities of color, La Cocina provides affordable commercial kitchen space to San Francisco food entrepreneurs. La Cocina’s work has become even more important during the pandemic when the majority of its businesses lost 70 percent of their sales. Support local food entrepreneurs and restaurants by donating or buying a food/gift box from La Cocina.
Would you like to be featured in a future sf.citi community update? Tell us about your work in San Francisco by emailing jacqueline@sfciti.org.
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