Sacramento City Council announces emergency measures due to coronavirus

Emergency measures include canceling event permits, $1 million small business relief

Rahul Lal

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg arrives at the Sac State University Union before speaking as part of the panel on coronavirus related discrimination Wednesday, March 4, 2020. On Friday March 13, 2020 the city council announced emergency measures help combat the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic

Chris Wong
March 13, 2020

The Sacramento City Council announced emergency measures Friday during a special city council meeting in response to the spread of COVID-19.

The meeting was live streamed but closed to the public to comply with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order canceling non-essential public gatherings of more than 250 people. 

The council voted unanimously to approve a resolution to declare a local emergency. In addition to declaring an emergency, the resolution directs City Manager Howard Chan to implement emergency actions and gives him authority to spend no more than $250,000 on emergency response needs.

Highlights of the emergency actions include: 

  • Canceling permits for events that over 250 people might attend
  • A $1 million economic relief package to issue loans to small local businesses
  • Spending up to $250,000 on sanitation supplies and hand-washing stations to facilities for the city’s homeless
  • Free metered parking after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and all-day on weekends

Story continues after PDF of resolution.

For small businesses to be eligible for relief, they must have written sick leave policies assisting employees affected by COVID-19.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

The city council will meet again Tuesday to discuss a measure preventing the eviction of renters who cannot afford to pay rent due to the coronavirus.

This is a developing story.