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San Francisco Puts $5M Toward Coronavirus Fund For Homeless, Other Vulnerable Groups

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- San Francisco officials on Monday announced a $5 million emergency fund and a new Public Health Order to help protect vulnerable populations in the city against coronavirus.

The fund and health order, announced by Breed, supervisor Aaron Peskin and the city's Department of Public Health, will focus on reducing the risk of exposure to the novel virus for homeless individuals, marginally housed seniors, people with underlying health conditions, people living in shelters, people living in single-room occupancy hotels (SROs) and those living in Permanent Supportive Housing.

The initiatives funded by the $5 million include more cleaning within shelters, resource centers and SROs. There will be increased meal offerings and expanded shelter hours for shelters that don't operate 24/7, which will encourage homeless individuals to stay in shelters longer.

More cleaning crews will provide rigorous cleanings in congregate settings. Additional janitors will also be present in city shelters, resource centers and Permanent Supportive Housing, to ensure they meet health requirements established in the Public Health Order.

People in SROs will also have more meal delivery programs, and more required cleaning and contagion mitigation protocols will be established at SROs.

Mayor Breed said the fund will help keep settings where vulnerable individuals live clean to keep them healthy in a statement Monday.

"We know that many of our most vulnerable residents—those who could get very sick or die if they contract COVID-19—are living in congregate and semi-congregate settings like shelters and single-room occupancy hotels," said Mayor Breed. "We have to do more to keep these places clean and work to keep people healthy as this disease spreads within our community. This emergency fund and this Public Health Order are part of our work to respond aggressively to the challenges presented by COVID-19 each and every day. Everyone should continue to follow the best health practices, and we will continue to do the work to deliver more protections for those in need," Breed said.

"The northeast quarter of San Francisco has the highest concentration of people who are vulnerable to this epidemic," said Supervisor Aaron Peskin. "These are the City's next steps, informed by meaningful community input and a close collaboration between the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors that will help ensure the public's health is protected."

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