The City of West Hollywood has proclaimed a local state emergency in response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) public health emergency. A Resolution with this proclamation was added to the City Council agenda as an Urgency Item and was approved by the West Hollywood City Council at the City’s regular meeting on Monday, March 16, 2020.
The proclamation enhances the City of West Hollywood’s ability to access emergency resources at the state and federal level to assist with its novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response. A Memorandum to the City Council with this Urgency Item and related draft Resolution are available online: https://weho.granicus.com.
“The declaration of a local emergency is an essential step at this time in helping the City of West Hollywood respond to novel coronavirus,” said West Hollywood Mayor, John D’Amico, in a press release. “This declaration allows our City to access state and federal resources as we continue to coordinate our response with direction from health officials at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Our focus now continues to be doing our part to flatten the curve of disease progression. As a City, we’ve taken extraordinary steps to cancel or postpone non-essential events and meetings and we’re doing everything we can to safeguard the health of people in our community. Please continue to remain calm and take care of yourselves and each other. Follow guidance from L.A. County Public Health and the CDC. As I mentioned a few days ago, we’ve seen our community navigate the global HIV/AIDS pandemic and we will get through this if we follow guidelines. Let’s keep doing this the WeHo way, with kindness and empathy.”
The West Hollywood City Council also approved two related Urgency Items:
The first item approves a temporary moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent during the current state of emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A Memorandum to the City Council with this Urgency Item and related draft Urgency Ordinance are available online at: https://weho.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=16&event_id=1184&meta_id=185597.
The second item approves emergency supportive services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and gives the City Manager authorization to direct a variety of services. A Memorandum to the City Council with this Urgency Item is available online: https://weho.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=16&event_id=1184&meta_id=185595
The City of West Hollywood is taking every precaution to prioritize community health and well-being. Based on public health recommendations from lead agencies, and in an effort to safeguard public health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, the City is getting the word out that Los Angeles County has ordered all bars, clubs, gyms, theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, and entertainment venues closed and restaurants are required to end dine-in service and provide take out or delivery service only. This includes the City of West Hollywood.
The City has implemented an emergency management plan that ensures continuity of business operations while providing flexibility to many City employees to work remotely in order to ensure employee safety and respond to the family obligations of staff in balancing City business. Effective immediately, West Hollywood City Hall will be closed to the public and is suspending all in-person transactions. All public City buildings and facilities will be closed. City parks will remain open, but members of the public should follow social distancing guidelines of at least six feet of separation, staying home if not feeling well, washing hands often, and covering all coughs or sneezes. City Hall will remain accessible for business and essential services with transactions to be conducted by phone (323) 848-6400 and via the City’s website at www.weho.org. The City of West Hollywood is making every effort to respond to community needs while ensuring the highest degree of regard for public health safety.
On March 12, 2020, the City of West Hollywood implemented a number of actions through June 30, 2020, including postponing or cancelling all non-essential events and meetings, including City-sponsored events, City co-sponsored events, and City-funded events — as well as any events or filming that require a permit. The City of West Hollywood’s decision to cancel and postpone events and meetings is a precautionary measure in response to public health recommendations for social distancing. Details: www.weho.org/Home/Components/News/News/9184/23.
The City of West Hollywood will post updates on its website at www.weho.org/coronavirus and the City encourages community members to follow @wehocity on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram and turn on notifications for up-to-date information regarding details in the City of West Hollywood.
To view essential-business City meetings, tune in to WeHoTV at: www.weho.org/wehotv
www.youtube.com/wehotv
Spectrum Channel 10 (in West Hollywood)
AT&T U-verse Channel 99 (in Southern California)
SmartTV Apps: AndroidTV; AppleTV; FireTV; and Roku
For notifications by email, subscribe to the City’s E-Notifications at www.weho.org/email. Visit the City’s event and meetings calendar at www.weho.org/calendar and news archive at www.weho.org/news.
For updates and information about the current numbers of COVID-19 cases in the United States and in Los Angeles County, the spread of the virus, severity, treatments, precautions, and other important public health information in multiple languages, please visit websites for:
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
