MESSAGE FROM CATHERINE
Dear John,
San Francisco is activating the
Palace of Fine Arts as a temporary shelter in response to the COVID-19
pandemic. At capacity, it will house 162 people in a socially distant
and responsible way. That means making sure the facility is not
overcrowded and is cleaned with extreme frequency. It also means
making sure that everyone is screened for COVID-19 symptoms every time
they enter the premises. There will be a strict curfew in place, and
the City must abide by all the provisions of the Good Neighbor Policy,
which enforces strict standards for light, noise, and
cleanliness.
I’m committed to ensuring this
facility is well run so that the people inside and out remain safe and
secure. I’ve worked with the project manager for 13 years, and know
him to be a public servant of the highest caliber. I will be
personally touring the facility prior to its opening to make sure that
he takes every necessary precaution to protect both those who will be
living there and our neighborhood. My office will remain in close
communication with neighborhood leaders, as well as the Public Health,
Police, Fire, and Sheriff’s Departments throughout the duration of the
project. We will work tirelessly to ensure that this effort is a
success.
To fight this pandemic, San
Francisco has rightly required everyone to shelter-in-place and to
keep physical distance from others. Everyone must stay home and stay
six feet apart, but we know that not everyone in San Francisco has the
ability or resources to meet those requirements -- including those who
live in our shelters and other congregate living
facilities.
This disease does not discriminate
against anyone. Our ability to bend the curve and stop the spread
depends on our ability to protect all San Franciscans. As long as any
single person is vulnerable, we all are. That’s why it's important we
all do everything we can to ensure we are all able to maintain
physical distancing.
I have secured a commitment that the City will use local
neighborhood food vendors to provide meals as often as possible, so
the restaurants we all know and love will benefit from this new
business opportunity. Please be in touch if you operate a business and
would like to apply to be a food vendor to the Palace during this
period. Additionally, I have secured a commitment from the Sheriff to
provide additional staffing at the facility as we all adjust to this
temporary change.
The first 20-25 neighbors could
come to the Palace as early as the end of this week. These will be
residents of other shelters in the city, but are otherwise like anyone
you might meet here in San Francisco. Many have families and
maintained part-time employment prior to the COVID-19 crisis. They all
had existing placements and followed the rules required to reside in
their previous facilities. They will reside at the Palace until the
Shelter-in-Place Order is lifted, and then they will move back to
their previous shelter, where their previous beds have been saved for
them. In the event anyone becomes symptomatic, they will be quickly
isolated and sent to the appropriate off-site medical
facilities.
This pandemic is unprecedented in
modern history, and to stop the spread we must all step up and do our
part. I have been so impressed with our neighbors' compassion,
bravery, and resolve during this difficult time.
You can find near-daily updates on
the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic on my social media page
here. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out
to my office at 415-554-7752 or [email protected].
Warm regards,
Catherine
Office of Supervisor Catherine
Stefani
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 260,
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 554-7752 Fax:
(415) 554-7843
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