sf.citi is committed to providing ongoing updates about the latest community news and resources from the San Francisco tech industry and beyond.
This year’s Fourth of July weekend in San Francisco was unlike past celebrations. To discourage crowds and help limit the spread of COVID-19, the City cancelled its annual Fourth of July fireworks show and closed parking lots at several popular beaches and outdoor spaces. We hope you still found ways to enjoy the holiday safely and responsibly.
- 257,549 confirmed cases in California
- 6,341 confirmed deaths in California
- 29,197 confirmed cases in the Bay Area
*As of 9:00am PT on 7/6
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.
- Gen Z entrepreneurs and technologists used what started off as a joke to raise $200,000 for the Okra Project, the Innocence Project, and the Loveland Foundation. You’ll also learn the meaning behind ????????????, a symbolic emoji combination and social media phenomenon.
- In an attempt to prevent unauthorized parties and limit the spread of COVID-19, Airbnb announced that guests under age 25 with fewer than three positive Airbnb reviews will not be allowed to book entire homes close to where they live. Airbnb has already piloted this policy in Canada.
- Microsoft president Brad Smith announced that the company aims to provide free digital skills training to 25 million people. Microsoft hopes to give people the tech skills needed to find employment during the pandemic and adjust to an increasingly remote global workforce.
- Regynald Augustin, a programmer at Twitter began an internal movement to replace commonly used technical terms like “master,” “slave,” “whitelist,” and “blacklist.” While the effort began in January of 2020, recent momentum around the Black Lives Matter movement gave new importance to the vocabulary changes. Twitter is now changing nine terms and categories.
- Uber extended its ‘No Mask, No Ride’ policy, which requires drivers and passengers to wear masks, indefinitely. Uber also acquired Postmates for $2.65 billion in an all-stock deal.
UPDATES FROM THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
- Starting today, Monday, July 6, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will raise parking meter rates and begin reinforcing parking meter time limits. At the beginning of April, SFMTA reduced parking meter rates to 50 cents per hour. Meters will now be 50 cents below their pre-COVID-19 rates.
- On July 2, Mayor Breed announced that San Francisco received over $130 million in state funding for affordable housing, transportation, and infrastructure projects. More than half of the funds will support three affordable housing developments while much of the remaining funds will finance infrastructure projects at the Sunnydale and Potrero HOPE SF sites, Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island, and the Balboa Park BART Plaza.
- On June 30, the Board of Supervisors approved Mayor Breed’s resolution to lease a new building at 833 Bryant Street, which will provide 145 units of permanent supportive housing (PSH). PSH provides long-term affordable housing with on-site social services for people experiencing homelessness. The units at 833 Bryant are part of the City’s effort to create over 1,000 new permanent supportive housing units by the end of 2024.
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 July 1, Governor Newsom ordered 19 counties in California—which represent 70 percent of the state’s population—to close indoor operations at restaurants, wineries, movie theaters, and other venues due to surging COVID-19 case numbers. The closures will remain in place for at least three weeks.
- On July 1, the state of California released rules for people frequenting gyms and places of worship, which have reopened in some counties. Masks are required in both, and singing or chanting is prohibited during religious services.
- On July 1, the California Employment Development Department announced that it will extend unemployment benefits for Californians impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible Californians may receive up to 20 weeks of additional unemployment benefits, which were made available through the Federal-State Extended Duration (FED-ED) benefits program.
- On June 30, Governor Newsom signed an executive order on a variety of issues related to COVID-19. Among other things, it authorizes local governments to halt evictions for renters impacted by the COVID-19 through September 30. It also extends provisions laid out in earlier executive orders, including allowing adults to obtain marriage licenses via videoconferencing and waiving eligibility re-determinations for Californians who participate in Medi-Cal.
- On June 29, Governor Newsom signed the 2020 Budget Act, a $202.1 billion spending plan that allows the state to continue its emergency response while closing a $54.3 billion budget shortfall caused by COVID-19. Key provisions include strengthening the state’s emergency response and protecting public health during the pandemic, supporting public education, assisting Californians in greatest need, promoting economic recovery, and closing the budget gap.
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.
- Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, San Francisco-based nonprofit Tax-Aid has been offering free, virtual tax services and “Curbside Tax Document Drop Off” events for people who cannot afford income tax services. Learn about future Tax-Aid events—including one tomorrow, July 7—and sign up to volunteer by contacting Jill Sturm at jill@tax-aid.org.
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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