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From: Selena Perez Tejeda <br />To: PublicComment <br />Cc: Mia Palacios; moala310(@gmail.com; Ivette Contreras; Ivette Contreras Hernandez; <br />natalymanzanero0l(&cimail.com; ashleybarraza39Caamail.com <br />Subject: Public Comment Agend Item #8.B <br />Date: Monday, May 18, 2020 3:00:01 PM <br />Dear City Council Members, <br />The world is going through perilous times right now. Our community was one of the first <br />ones to act on the dangers of COVID-19 by implementing social distancing guidelines and <br />setting up a fund for families in San Mateo county. Yet we are still worried about housing in <br />our communities. <br />One of our concerns is with homelessness, what is being done for homeless people right <br />now when they need to shelter in place safely? Counties in Southern California are opening <br />up their community centers to help some of their homeless people, could that be a <br />temporary solution our community could do as well? What resources are available to <br />homeless people living in their cars? How are they able to get access to amenities that <br />come with living under a roof ie., laundry or shower services? Are these resources being <br />advertised enough that these people are receiving the help they need? Additionally, how <br />can we expect them to be able to make monthly car payments; is there financial assistance <br />to help with these payments or gas? We are nearing 100,000 deaths, many of those are <br />people of color who have less access to resources. What will we do to prevent the deaths <br />of those who are unhoused and unable to safely social distance? <br />When this crisis is over, what permanent measures will be put in place so we make sure <br />homeless people are safe if an event like this ever happens again? We are nearing a time <br />where it will not just be diseases that will rock our sense of safety, but we are seeing the <br />effects of climate change more and more clearly. Homeless people will be the most <br />affected if they do not have a safe place to call home. <br />In addition, many families are laid off, but bills still need to be paid, mouths still need to be <br />fed. Our communities need people in power to help them now more than ever. Trump <br />signed a $2 trillion dollar bill to help relieve families financially but none of that money is <br />being given to undocumented families. These undocumented families who pay taxes just <br />like everyone else won't get the same support and will continue to struggle. These families <br />work just as hard as everyone else but can't sign up for the benefits as everyone else. <br />Even though there is the ability to support undocumented families by the number of children <br />they have under the age of 16, this still excludes those families supporting children over the <br />age of 16. In addition, the money given to families is not enough to continue to live in San <br />Mateo County. <br />Also, many government relief programs require you to have done taxes but since the <br />pandemic, many people have not had the ability to complete their taxes, therefore they are <br />not eligible for those programs, thus excluding a lot of low-income people from the <br />