sf.citi is committed to providing ongoing updates about the latest community news and resources from the San Francisco tech industry and beyond.
Tomorrow, November 3, is Election Day, which means San Francisco residents have less than 48 hours to vote. If you need some last-minute guidance, check out sf.citi’s suite of November 2020 election resources for San Francisco voters.
See Our San Francisco Election Resources
- 935,332 confirmed cases in California
- 17,671 confirmed deaths in California
- 118,710 confirmed cases in the Bay Area
*As of 9:00am PT on 11/2
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.
- Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky announced two new resources to support Airbnb’s host community: the Airbnb Host Endowment and Host Advisory Board. The company will seed the endowment with 9.2 million shares from Airbnb and begin investing the endowment in the host community once its value exceeds $1 billion. The Host Advisory Board, meanwhile, will be made up of a diverse group of Airbnb hosts who meet regularly with Airbnb executives to ensure hosts’ ideas are heard.
- To help limit the spread of misinformation around the November 2020 election results, both Facebook and Google will temporarily ban political ads after the election.
- As part of Pedestrian Safety Month, Waymo became a sponsor of the Vision Zero Network, a collaborative campaign to eliminate traffic fatalities and increase safe, healthy, and equitable mobility. Waymo is the first ride-hailing and autonomous vehicle company to sponsor the Vision Zero Network. Waymo also published two papers about the processes Waymo uses to drive fully autonomously on public roads and validate the safety of its operations.
UPDATES FROM THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
- On October 30, Mayor Breed and Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax announced that San Francisco will temporarily pause the reopening of additional businesses and activities scheduled to resume or expand on November 3. The pause is a precautionary measure due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in San Francisco, coupled with the current increase in cases in California and across the United States.
- On October 27, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved Rachael Tanner’s nomination to the San Francisco Planning Commission. Tanner currently serves as the Assistant Director of Planning and Development Services for Palo Alto. She is also Commissioner on the San Francisco Board of Appeals—a position from which she will resign to join the Planning Commission.
- On October 27, Mayor Breed announced the launch of JobsNOW!, an expanded program to help San Franciscans find employment, support local businesses, and advance the City’s economic recovery during and after COVID-19. Operated by the Human Services Agency (HSA), the JobsNOW! program will provide employment and training services to low-income residents and reimburse employers when they hire program participants for permanent positions. The City allocated nearly $28 million annually in the FY 2020-21 and 2021-22 budget for the program to support 3,600 subsidized employment placements.
- On October 26, Mayor Breed and Treasurer José Cisneros announced that San Francisco will provide entertainment and nightlife venues $2.5 million in additional fee and tax waivers. Waiving license and business registration fees and taxes for these businesses is part of Mayor Breed’s efforts to support San Francisco’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also aligned with the policy recommendations from San Francisco’s Economic Recovery Task Force.
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 October 28, Governor Newsom signed an executive order addressing a variety of issues in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order directs the California Department of Transportation to create a process for issuing temporary encroachment permits so that businesses located along state highways can expand their outdoor dining options. It also allows people 70 years of age or older to renew their drivers’ licenses by mail.
- On October 26, Governor Newsom announced that he has secured federal assistance for the Blue Ridge Fire. California received a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the Blue Ridge Fire burning in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
- On October 26, Governor Newsom announced that he has secured federal assistance for the Silverado Fire. California received a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the Silverado Fire burning in Orange County.
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.
- Food Runners SF is on a mission to alleviate hunger and prevent food waste in San Francisco. Every week, the organization delivers over 17 tons of food—the equivalent of 20,000 meals—to those in need that would otherwise be thrown away. SF Food Runners relies on volunteers to deliver perishable and prepared food from hundreds of San Francisco restaurants, caterers, grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and other businesses. Donate your extra food, time, or money to end hunger and food waste in San Francisco.
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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