4-B ID 20-00609 Actions pertaining to emergency relief related to COVID-19:
1. *** RESOLUTION - Creating a Housing Retention Grant Program to assist Fresno families impacted by job loss or reduction in working hours related to COVID-19, and adding small business grants to the existing Save our Small Business Program (Subject to Mayor's Veto)
2. ***RESOLUTION- 46th Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2019-133 to appropriate $2,000,000 for small businesses and $1,500,000 for housing retention grants (requires 5 affirmative votes)(Subject to Mayor's Veto).
I am a Fresno resident who is affected by Covid-19. I am one of many that are speaking out for help. I am a renter of a family of seven. I love my children. I will do anything to protect them. It has been really hard trying to protect my children during this statewide emergency. I am being forced to move out by my landlord and we have no place to go. I continue to pay rent, but my lease ended and now we are living in fear on a month-to-month contract. I was served with a notice to vacate, for no reason, right at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our landlord wants us to put our children’s lives at risk and he is refusing our rent. I should not be asked to violate the shelter in place orders and the CDC guidelines and put my children at risk.
We support the passing of the Housing Retention Grant Program. We applaud the 1.5 million dollars initiative to keep Fresnans housed. We implore the Council to lead with innovation and morality to advance a robust economy that works for all Fresnans, not just special interest groups or corporations. Before the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis, Fresno ranked 55th out of 59 cities in economic health, 59th in economic inclusion, 59th in racial inclusion, and 59th in overall inclusion. Fresno is also one of the youngest, most diverse, and fastest-growing US cities. Community must be centered in our movement; our Black and Brown, the undocumented, the houseless or marginally housed, the jobless or underemployed, the over-policed and under-protected, our essential workers, our elders, and our YOUTH! We could expedite cannabis licenses, equity applicants 1st, as a new revenue stream. We could modify our current budget to maximize the federal CARES relief monies and reallocate any funds that cannot be utilized as planned due to COVID-19 impacts. We must hold accountable the Fresno Economic Recovery taskforce to include community most impacted by our historic and current unprecedented economic crisis. We invite everyone to view our “Care for Us” press conference tomorrow, FRIDAY 11am on Facebook Live to hear directly from folks who have historically and are currently absorbing the most acute impacts of COVID-19.
I am a Community Organizer with Faith in the Valley. We want to lift up the real stories of those most vulnerable and it is time to start focusing on what really matters, the real needs of Fresno residents who always, long before COVID-19 are always left to fight their fights along. This Housing Retention Program should only be the beggining of a continuation of trying to help families that are always being impacted by housing. Many haven't even fully recovered from the last recession, so it is time for the City of Fresno to really think about these questions, "Who do you love?" "Why did you ran for office?" Use the platform that you have to focus on the root cause of the issues. May God bless you all members of the council.
I am a Fresno resident who is affected by Covid-19. I am one of many that are speaking out for help. I am a renter of a family of seven. I love my children. I will do anything to protect them. It has been really hard trying to protect my children during this statewide emergency. I am being forced to move out by my landlord and we have no place to go. I continue to pay rent, but my lease ended and now we are living in fear on a month-to-month contract. I was served with a notice to vacate, for no reason, right at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our landlord wants us to put our children’s lives at risk and he is refusing our rent. I should not be asked to violate the shelter in place orders and the CDC guidelines and put my children at risk.
We support the passing of the Housing Retention Grant Program. We applaud the 1.5 million dollars initiative to keep Fresnans housed. We implore the Council to lead with innovation and morality to advance a robust economy that works for all Fresnans, not just special interest groups or corporations. Before the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis, Fresno ranked 55th out of 59 cities in economic health, 59th in economic inclusion, 59th in racial inclusion, and 59th in overall inclusion. Fresno is also one of the youngest, most diverse, and fastest-growing US cities. Community must be centered in our movement; our Black and Brown, the undocumented, the houseless or marginally housed, the jobless or underemployed, the over-policed and under-protected, our essential workers, our elders, and our YOUTH! We could expedite cannabis licenses, equity applicants 1st, as a new revenue stream. We could modify our current budget to maximize the federal CARES relief monies and reallocate any funds that cannot be utilized as planned due to COVID-19 impacts. We must hold accountable the Fresno Economic Recovery taskforce to include community most impacted by our historic and current unprecedented economic crisis. We invite everyone to view our “Care for Us” press conference tomorrow, FRIDAY 11am on Facebook Live to hear directly from folks who have historically and are currently absorbing the most acute impacts of COVID-19.
I am a Community Organizer with Faith in the Valley. We want to lift up the real stories of those most vulnerable and it is time to start focusing on what really matters, the real needs of Fresno residents who always, long before COVID-19 are always left to fight their fights along. This Housing Retention Program should only be the beggining of a continuation of trying to help families that are always being impacted by housing. Many haven't even fully recovered from the last recession, so it is time for the City of Fresno to really think about these questions, "Who do you love?" "Why did you ran for office?" Use the platform that you have to focus on the root cause of the issues. May God bless you all members of the council.