Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 23 - Resolution Declaring the Termination of Local Emergency (COVID-19 Pandemic) City Manager’s Office www.santa-ana.org/city-managers-office Item # 23 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report April 18, 2023 TOPIC: Resolution Declaring the Termination of Local Emergency Regarding the COVID- 19 Pandemic AGENDA TITLE Resolution Declaring the Termination of Local Emergency Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic RECOMMENDED ACTION Adopt a resolution declaring the termination of the proclamation of local emergency relating to COVID-19. DISCUSSION On March 17, 2020, the City Council adopted a resolution proclaiming a local emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic pursuant to Santa Ana Municipal Code Section 2-646. The City’s proclamation of a local emergency assisted in a cross- jurisdictional response, as well as supported recovery measures, both of which coordinated public services to respond to the emergency and mitigated the adverse effects of the pandemic on residents. In addition to ordering the closure of City facilities, such as City Hall, park amenities, community centers, and more, the City Council authorized the City Manager, as the Director of Emergency Services, to enact orders and regulations necessary to protect the health and welfare of the community. Under the leadership of the City Council and as a response to the pandemic, the Director of Emergency Services issued several executive orders to implement policies, such as an eviction moratorium for residential and commercial tenants, temporarily postponing administrative hearings and deadlines, stopping all water service disconnections, and expanding outdoor dining for businesses. Twice, the City Council took action to allocate federal funds for COVID-19 response and recovery initiatives. First, on August 4, 2020, the City Council allocated $28.6 million in federal money for the Santa Ana Cares program, a massive effort to provide financial and health assistance to community members adversely affected by the pandemic. By December 31, 2020, the City had distributed the following: •$4,689,415 in business grants to 440 Santa Ana businesses Resolution Declaring the Termination of Local Emergency Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic April 18, 2023 Page 2 3 3 9 1 •$2,985,239 in housing assistance grants for landlords and tenants •$928,500 in utility assistance grants to 1,857 Santa Ana households •$480,000 in artist grants to Santa Ana-based artists and art organizations •$220,500 in childcare grants to 221 families •$122,580 in isolation assistance for 81 Santa Ana households with a COVID-19 diagnosis •Over 35,000 COVID-19 tests for at-risk populations •Over 300,000 face masks and other supplies at 121 Santa Ana neighborhoods and parks Second, on July 20, 2021, the City Council allocated the first of a total of $128 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) funding to continue to respond to and recover from the pandemic. Referred to as Revive Santa Ana, these funds have supported a series of COVID-19 recovery initiatives, including food distributions, direct financial assistance to residents, improvements to our public infrastructure including new park restrooms, a variety of youth programs, and more. Revive Santa Ana is broken down into five expenditure categories: City Fiscal Health, Public Health and Safety, Critical Infrastructure, Recovery from the Pandemic, and Direct Assistance Programs. Specifically, the following amounts were allocated to each expenditure category: •City Fiscal Health: $16,250,000 •Public Health and Safety: $32,062,600 •Critical Infrastructure: $53,550,000 •Recovery from the Pandemic: $8,750,000 •Direct Assistance Programs: $17,687,400 Revive Santa Ana is on-going; progress updates are available on the City’s website: www.santa-ana.org/departments/revive. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the City of Santa Ana has experienced 93,307 total cases of COVID-19, with 1,172 deaths attributed by COVID-19. At the state level, Governor Gavin Newsom ended the State’s COVID-19 State of Emergency on February 28, 2023. At the federal level based on current COVID-19 trends, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is planning for the federal Public Health Emergency for COVID-19, declared under Section 319 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, to expire at the end of the day on May 11, 2023. As the spread of COVID-19 has decreased locally, statewide, and nationwide, and considering that the resources required to successfully respond to pandemic are now readily available, staff has determined that there is no longer a need to continue the declaration of local emergency. Accordingly, staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution terminating the local emergency, effective April 18, 2023. Resolution Declaring the Termination of Local Emergency Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic April 18, 2023 Page 3 3 3 9 1 FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. EXHIBIT(S) 1. Resolution Submitted By: Kristine Ridge, City Manager Approved By: Kristine Ridge, City Manager RESOLUTION 2023-XXX A RESOLUTION OF THE SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL DECLARING THE TERMINATION OF THE PROCLAMATION OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY REGARDING THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC WHEREAS, on January 31, 2020, the United States Department of Public Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declared a public health emergency for COVID-19 beginning on January 27, 2020; and WHEREAS, the World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020, and a pandemic on March 11, 2020; and WHEREAS, on February 26, 2020, the County of Orange declared a local emergency and a local health emergency to prepare for COVID-19 in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak in Orange County; and WHEREAS, on March 4, 2020, Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency related to COVID-19; and WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared a national emergency in response to COVID-19; and WHEREAS, a local emergency, as defined by section 2-643 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code and by California Emergency Services Act Section 8558(c), may be proclaimed upon conditions of disaster or extreme peril, existing or imminently likely, so as to threaten lives and property, and by reason of its magnitude is or is likely to be beyond the control of the available services, personnel, equipment and facilities of the city; and WHEREAS, on March 17, 2020, the Santa Ana City Council adopted a resolution (Resolution No. 2020-016) proclaiming a local emergency due to the conditions or threatened conditions of COVID-19 in the City of Santa Ana, which constitutes an extreme peril of health and safety of persons within the territorial limits of the City and specified that the local emergency shall be deemed to continue to exist until its termination is proclaimed by the City Council; and WHEREAS, during the local emergency, the City Manager, acting as the Director of Emergency Services, was delegated the authority to, among other responsibilities, promulgate ordinances, orders or regulations necessary to provide for the protection of life and property; and WHEREAS, during the local emergency, the City Manager, acting as the Director of Emergency Services issued various orders associated with the local emergency declaration; and WHEREAS, the City of Santa Ana’s Finance and Management Services Agency submitted to the City Council at regularly scheduled meetings of the City Council quarterly reports of contracts executed by the City Manager; these quarterly reports included contracts entered Resolution No. 2023-XXX Page 1 of 3 Resolution No. 2023-XXX Page 2 of 3 into by the City Manager, acting as the Director of Emergency Services, as delegated in the local emergency proclamation; and WHEREAS, on May 21, 2021, the California Department of Public Health announced that the State of California will move beyond the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, whereby all sectors listed in the current Blueprint Activities and Business Tiers Chart may return to usual operations, with limited exceptions for mega events that include 5,000 or more attendees for indoor events and 10,000 or more attendees for outdoor events; and WHEREAS, on June 15, 2021, the California Department of Public Health issued an order terminating the Stay-at-Home Order, replacing the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, and reopening the economy; and WHEREAS, on February 28, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation terminating the State of California’s emergency declaration; and WHEREAS, President Biden has announced that the federal government will lift the national emergency and public health declarations on May 11, 2023; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2-646 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code, the City Council shall proclaim the termination of the local emergency at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant; and WHEREAS, upon termination of the local emergency, any such rules, regulations, orders and directives or suspensions thereof prepared under the proclamation of local emergency shall terminate and have no further force or effect; and WHEREAS, the City Manager, acting as the Director of Emergency Services, recommends that the proclamation of local emergency be terminated due to the fact the circumstances necessitating the declaration of the local emergency no longer exist; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code section 8630, the City Council has reviewed the need for continuing the local emergency and has determined that conditions no longer support continuing the local emergency. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines, and declares as follows: Section 1. The above recitals are true and correct and incorporate herein. Section 2. Pursuant to Santa Ana Municipal Code Section 2-646, the City Council declares the termination of the proclamation of local emergency relating to COVID-19. Section 3. The Santa Ana City Council hereby repeals Resolution No. 2020-016. Resolution No. 2023-XXX Page 3 of 3 Section 4. Any such rules, regulations, orders and directives or suspensions thereof prepared under the proclamation of local emergency shall terminate and have no further force or effect. Section 5. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the City Clerk shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this Resolution. ADOPTED this ____ day of April, 2023. Valerie Amezcua Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: Sonia R. Carvalho City Attorney By: Laura A. Rossini Chief Assistant City Attorney AYES: Councilmembers NOES: Councilmembers ABSTAIN: Councilmembers NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, Jennifer L. Hall, City Clerk, do hereby certify the attached Resolution No. 2023 -XXX to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on _____________________, 2023. Date: Jennifer L. Hall City Clerk City of Santa Ana