latimes--2020-12-05--COVID-19 is 'greatest threat to life in Los Angeles that we have ever faced,' Garcetti says

Another alarming spike in COVID-19 cases Friday in Los Angeles County prompted officials to sound new alarms about the need to stay home to slow the spread .
“ This is the greatest threat to life in Los Angeles that we have ever faced , ” Mayor Eric Garcetti said Friday evening .
“ The simple truth is that we know that COVID-19 rapidly spreads and rapidly spreads as a result of our own behavior , but we also know that we can slow that spread by wearing a mask , by washing our hands.
” At a news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in L.A. County , including COVID-19 cases , could top 11,000 this year .
More than 7,800 deaths so far this year have been attributed to COVID in the county , according to The Times tracker .
“ The best thing to do right now and in the upcoming holiday season is to stay at home and not travel , ” said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer .
“ Encourage your family and friends to stay connected virtually and delay meeting in person until we are at a better place in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chance to slow the spread and save lives.
” The county has broken single-day new coronavirus case records on three of the last four days .
On Friday , new 8,562 cases were reported , according to The Times ’ tally , breaking the record set Thursday , when 7,713 were reported .
There were also 56 deaths recorded in L.A. County , a single-day tally not seen since Aug. 19 .
The county also broke its record for COVID-19 hospitalizations for the fifth consecutive day Friday , with 2,769 people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarter are in intensive care , where numbers have tripled in the last six weeks .
L.A. County imposed a modified stay-at-home order last week .
But it was becoming increasingly clear that the Southern California region could face additional restrictions under newly decreed state rules as early as Sunday .
On Friday night , the California Department of Public Health released new numbers showing that the Southern California region , as well as the San Joaquin Valley region , now face a critical shortage of ICU beds , with each area having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available .
That is the threshold that would , within 24 hours , trigger a regional stay-at-home order , which would shut outdoor restaurant dining , hair salons , nail salons , playgrounds , cardrooms , museums , zoos , aquariums and wineries and restrict retail capacity to 20 % .
If ICU capacity remains below 15 % Saturday , the order would be put into effect as early as Sunday .
The L.A. County stay-at-home order has faced a backlash from business owners , who say the suspension of outdoor dining is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who question why outdoor playgrounds are closed while indoor malls remain open .

Luke Money, Sean Greene, Rong-Gong Lin II

Another alarming spike in COVID-19 cases Friday in Los Angeles County prompted officials to sound new alarms about the need to stay home to slow the spread.
“This is the greatest threat to life in Los Angeles that we have ever faced,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said Friday evening. “The simple truth is that we know that COVID-19 rapidly spreads and rapidly spreads as a result of our own behavior, but we also know that we can slow that spread by wearing a mask, by washing our hands.”
At a news conference, he said the total death toll in L.A. County, including COVID-19 cases, could top 11,000 this year. More than 7,800 deaths so far this year have been attributed to COVID in the county, according to The Times tracker.
Advertisement
County officials urged people to avoid holiday travel and follow safety rules.
“The best thing to do right now and in the upcoming holiday season is to stay at home and not travel,” said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. “Encourage your family and friends to stay connected virtually and delay meeting in person until we are at a better place in the pandemic. Collectively, we have a chance to slow the spread and save lives.”
The county has broken single-day new coronavirus case records on three of the last four days. On Friday, new 8,562 cases were reported, according to The Times’ tally, breaking the record set Thursday, when 7,713 were reported.
There were also 56 deaths recorded in L.A. County, a single-day tally not seen since Aug. 19.
The county also broke its record for COVID-19 hospitalizations for the fifth consecutive day Friday, with 2,769 people in hospitals. Of those, nearly a quarter are in intensive care, where numbers have tripled in the last six weeks.
L.A. County imposed a modified stay-at-home order last week. But it was becoming increasingly clear that the Southern California region could face additional restrictions under newly decreed state rules as early as Sunday.
On Friday night, the California Department of Public Health released new numbers showing that the Southern California region, as well as the San Joaquin Valley region, now face a critical shortage of ICU beds, with each area having less than 15% of its capacity available.
Advertisement
That is the threshold that would, within 24 hours, trigger a regional stay-at-home order, which would shut outdoor restaurant dining, hair salons, nail salons, playgrounds, cardrooms, museums, zoos, aquariums and wineries and restrict retail capacity to 20%.
If ICU capacity remains below 15% Saturday, the order would be put into effect as early as Sunday.
The L.A. County stay-at-home order has faced a backlash from business owners, who say the suspension of outdoor dining is excessive and unfair, and some parents who question why outdoor playgrounds are closed while indoor malls remain open.


latimes--2020-12-05--Earthquake: Magnitude 3.2 quake hits near San Diego

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Saturday at 5:48 a.m. Pacific time two miles from San Diego , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred five miles from Coronado , Calif. , nine miles from Imperial Beach , nine miles from National City and nine miles from Chula Vista .
In the last 10 days , there have been two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published .
If you ’ re interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit our list of frequently asked questions .

The Saturday morning earthquake occurred five miles from Coronado, Calif., nine miles from Imperial Beach, nine miles from National City and nine miles from Chula Vista.
A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Saturday at 5:48 a.m. Pacific time two miles from San Diego, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred five miles from Coronado, Calif., nine miles from Imperial Beach, nine miles from National City and nine miles from Chula Vista.
In the last 10 days, there have been two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 8.7 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Advertisement
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-12-05--Lopez: We've quit ringing the bells each night, but frontline workers are still risking their lives

It took a while for Ana Ivette Zacarias , 25 , to figure out what she wanted to do for a living .
As a teenager , she went to flight attendant school in Guatemala , but then her family moved to Los Angeles , and she got a job at a restaurant while attending Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights .
Later , she sold used cars at a dealership .
But Zacarias never forgot how helpless she felt years ago , when her grandmother suffered through dementia .
And two years ago , she watched her own young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pneumonia .
That ’ s when Zacarias knew she wanted to work in healthcare .
So much so that she juggled work , family and vocational school simultaneously to become a certified medical assistant .
Earlier this year , she applied for work and heard back from several medical facilities .
But the one that felt like the best fit was a clinic in her own neighborhood .
The South Central Family Health Center , at 44th Street and Central Avenue , has made a point for nearly 40 years of putting its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community locations .
And the main office is just several blocks from the home Zacarias shares with her father , two brothers , husband and their two children , 4 and 2 .
“ I feel comfortable working here because I know the people , and the patients are not just our patients , they ’ re our neighbors , ” Zacarias said .
On Thursday morning , Zacarias wore a gown , mask and goggles as she checked in a steady stream of patients .
Because if the virus is in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a well-ventilated area .
Zacarias begins setting up the makeshift clinic at 7:30 each morning , arranging equipment and testing stations and sanitizing everything with spray and wipes .
She screens patients for symptoms , checks their vitals and draws blood to be tested for COVID-19 antibodies .
One day , she told me , when she can squeeze in the time , she wants to begin studying to become an RN .
The doctor she works with , Grace Neuman , performs the nasal swab tests and hands the samples to Zacarias @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which isn ’ t often useful at this clinic , but she ’ s learning Spanish on the job , with Zacarias translating as needed .
After months of working together , they ’ re in sync .
“ She ’ s like my right hand , ” said Neuman , who is able to communicate with her assistant despite the encumbrance of protective gear .
“ We can just make eye contact and know instantly what it means.
” Neuman , like Zacarias , grew up with working-class parents — an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Francisco ’ s Mission District .
Also like Zacarias , she wanted to work in a community where the need was great , and the pandemic has only deepened her sense of duty , because areas like South L.A. have been hit disproportionately hard .
“ Being a human first , the fear is definitely there , ” Neuman said .
“ But it ’ s tempered with the knowledge that I ’ m in the right place at the right time.
” Many of the patients she and Zacarias see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doors to the clinic are open to them whether they can afford health insurance or not .
They work in restaurants and warehouses , they ’ re delivery drivers and gardeners , housekeepers and construction workers .
“ These are the frontline people who keep our economy going , ” said David Roman , the center ’ s director of development and communications .
The vast majority of patients at the health center ’ s nine locations are Latino , many live in multi-generational homes , and many have pre-existing conditions such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which raise the risk of death from COVID-19 .
At the end of a work day , which for many patients includes exposure to the virus , Roman said , those who don ’ t have washers and dryers to sanitize their clothes at home end up congregating at laundromats , further raising the risk .
Roman said roughly 12 % of the nearly 8,000 coronavirus tests administered by the health center since May have come back positive .
And that means danger for health workers like Zacarias and Neuman .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ we ’ ve had 46 positive tests for COVID-19 , and we had a pediatrician test positive this week.
” So many medical assistants have tested positive that the typical doctor/assistant ratio of 2 to 1 is now closer to 1 to 1 , Roman said .
Zacarias , who has not gotten sick since beginning her job in July , told me she is extra careful and always masked , at work and at home .
She said she ’ s certainly aware of the risk , having seen patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but she ’ s undeterred .
The suffering and fear , Zacarias said , “ make me feel brave , and happy that I ’ m able to help people.
” By 9 a.m. Thursday , Neuman had already sent two patients to the hospital with severe symptoms that appeared COVID-related .
In the first wave of cases earlier this year , as many as 100 coronavirus tests were performed daily , then the number gradually dipped to 20 or fewer .
But there was an uptick when the weather cooled , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 Thursday , in what might be the beginning of a post-Thanksgiving surge .
Juan Ramos , another medical assistant , joined the Neuman-Zacarias team for the day to help with the extra load .
“ I ’ m feeling a little sick and I have a cough , ” said patient Mireya Armijo , a restaurant worker whose husband is a bus driver .
Santiago Gomez and Cirila Samano , who work as housekeepers , know people who have gotten sick , and they came in for tests because Gomez was bothered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another couple , who work in a warehouse , said they felt OK but wanted a test because they ’ re exposed to so many other people at work .
And an elderly man in a wheelchair came for a test because he had flu-like symptoms along with pre-existing lung disease .
Some patients come in because they ’ re ordered to by employers , and Zacarias said she ’ s encountered a few who think the virus is a hoax , or that they ’ re somehow immune .
She straightens them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell them to try to be a little more respectful of others , and do it for your family , ” Zacarias said .
At the end of her shift , Zacarias trashes her protective gown and changes clothes before picking up her kids from a baby sitter .
Everyone in her house works , except for one brother who ’ s a student , so Zacarias makes sure everyone follows COVID-safety rules in and out of the home .
“ People ask me if I ’ m afraid to go to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m not afraid .
I feel blessed , and it is good to hear people say thank you for being there.
” We used to say thanks a little more regularly early in the pandemic , by ringing bells , blowing horns and clanging pots and pans at 8 o ’ clock every evening .
I don ’ t know why we can ’ t strike up that band again , even louder this time , not just for doctors and nurses , but for all their assistants , too .

It took a while for Ana Ivette Zacarias, 25, to figure out what she wanted to do for a living.
As a teenager, she went to flight attendant school in Guatemala, but then her family moved to Los Angeles, and she got a job at a restaurant while attending Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights. Later, she sold used cars at a dealership.
For the record: A previous version of this story said the clinic’s typical doctor-assistant ratio of 2 to 1 had fallen closer to 1 to 1. It was the assistant-to-doctor ratio that fell from 2 to 1.
But Zacarias never forgot how helpless she felt years ago, when her grandmother suffered through dementia. And two years ago, she watched her own young son labor through a serious case of pneumonia.
Advertisement
That’s when Zacarias knew she wanted to work in healthcare. So much so that she juggled work, family and vocational school simultaneously to become a certified medical assistant.
Medical assistant Ana Ivette Zacarias gives a COVID-19 antibody test to Luis Villasenor in the parking garage of the South Central Family Health Center. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
This year, she applied for work and heard back from several medical facilities. But the one that felt like the best fit was a clinic in her own neighborhood.
The South Central Family Health Center, at 44th Street and Central Avenue, has made a point for nearly 40 years of putting its neighbors to work at its nine different community locations. And the main office is just several blocks from the home Zacarias shares with her father, two brothers, husband and their two children, 4 and 2.
“I feel comfortable working here because I know the people, and the patients are not just our patients, they’re our neighbors,” Zacarias said.
On Thursday morning, Zacarias wore a gown, mask and goggles as she checked in a steady stream of patients in the center’s parking garage.
Why the garage?
Because if the virus is in the air, it can more easily escape a well-ventilated area.
Advertisement
Zacarias begins setting up the makeshift clinic at 7:30 each morning, arranging equipment and testing stations and sanitizing everything with spray and wipes. She screens patients for symptoms, checks their vitals and draws blood to be tested for COVID-19 antibodies. One day, she told me, when she can squeeze in the time, she wants to begin studying to become a registered nurse.
The doctor she works with, Grace Neuman, performs the nasal swab tests and hands the samples to Zacarias for proper labeling. Neuman speaks Cantonese, which isn’t often useful at this clinic, but she’s learning Spanish on the job, with Zacarias interpreting as needed. After months of working together, they’re in sync.
“She’s like my right hand,” said Neuman, who is able to communicate with her assistant despite the encumbrance of protective gear. “We can just make eye contact and know instantly what it means.”
Neuman, like Zacarias, grew up with working-class parents — an auto mechanic and a postal worker — in San Francisco’s Mission District. Also like Zacarias, she wanted to work in a community where the need was great, and the pandemic has only deepened her sense of duty, because areas like South L.A. have been hit disproportionately hard.
“Being a human first, the fear is definitely there,” Neuman said. “But it’s tempered with the knowledge that I’m in the right place at the right time.”
Many of the patients she and Zacarias see are the working poor, and the doors to the clinic are open to them whether they can afford health insurance or not. They work in restaurants and warehouses; they’re delivery drivers and gardeners, housekeepers and construction workers.
Dr. Grace Neuman, right, tests Mary Meadow, 74, for COVID-19 antibodies at the South Central Family Health Center. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
“These are the front-line people who keep our economy going,” said David Roman, the center’s director of development and communications.
The vast majority of patients at the health center’s nine locations are Latino, many live in multi-generational homes, and many have preexisting conditions such as diabetes, asthma and hypertension, any of which raise the risk of death from COVID-19. At the end of a workday, which for many patients includes exposure to the virus, Roman said, those who don’t have washers and dryers to sanitize their clothes at home end up congregating at laundromats, further raising the risk.
Roman said roughly 12% of the nearly 8,000 coronavirus tests administered by the health center since May have come back positive. And that means danger for health workers like Zacarias and Neuman.
On a staff of 223, said Roman, “we’ve had 46 positive tests for COVID-19, and we had a pediatrician test positive this week.”
So many medical assistants have tested positive that the typical assistant-to-doctor ratio of 2 to 1 is now closer to 1 to 1, Roman said.
Zacarias, who has not gotten sick since beginning her job in July, told me she is extra careful and always masked, at work and at home. She said she’s certainly aware of the risk, having seen patients with advanced symptoms on a daily basis, but she’s undeterred. The suffering and fear, Zacarias said, “make me feel brave, and happy that I’m able to help people.”
By 9 a.m. Thursday, Neuman had already sent two patients to the hospital with severe symptoms that appeared COVID-related. In the first wave of cases this year, as many as 100 coronavirus tests were performed daily, then the number gradually dipped to 20 or fewer.
But there was an uptick when the weather cooled, and the number of tests climbed above 30 Thursday, in what might be the beginning of a post-Thanksgiving surge. Juan Ramos, another medical assistant, joined the Neuman-Zacarias team for the day to help with the extra load.
“I’m feeling a little sick and I have a cough,” said patient Mireya Armijo, a restaurant worker whose husband is a bus driver.
Santiago Gomez and Cirila Samano, who work as housekeepers, know people who have gotten sick, and they came in for tests because Gomez was bothered by body pains and a headache.
Another couple, who work in a warehouse, said they felt OK but wanted a test because they’re exposed to so many other people at work. And an elderly man in a wheelchair came for a test because he had flu-like symptoms along with preexisting lung disease.
Some patients come in because they’re ordered to by employers, and Zacarias said she’s encountered a few who think the virus is a hoax, or that they’re somehow immune. She straightens them out in a hurry.
“I tell them to try to be a little more respectful of others, and do it for your family,” Zacarias said.
Ana Ivette Zacarias, 25, listens to her children Julen Padilla, 4, left, and daughter Mia Padilla, 2, after working her shift at the South Central Family Health Center. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
At the end of her shift, Zacarias trashes her protective gown and changes clothes before picking up her kids from a baby-sitter. Everyone in her house works, except for one brother who’s a student, so Zacarias makes sure everyone follows COVID safety rules in and out of the home.
“People ask me if I’m afraid to go to work,” Zacarias said. “But I’m not afraid. I feel blessed, and it is good to hear people say thank you for being there.”
We used to say thanks a little more regularly early in the pandemic, by ringing bells, blowing horns and clanging pots and pans at 8 o’clock every evening. I don’t know why we can’t strike up that band again, even louder this time, not just for doctors and nurses but for all their assistants too.
steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-12-05--A struggling recycling industry faces new crisis with coronavirus

Even before coronavirus arrived on U.S. shores , California waste recyclers were reeling from the collapse of global markets for used plastics and other scrap materials — a predicament that diverted the contents of many blue recycling bins to local landfills .
But now , as COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on all aspects of the economy , the situation has become even more dire for the struggling California waste recycling industry .
Even as hospitals and health officials struggle to cope with a new surge in infections , the pandemic has already significantly , reducing the profits of many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced the closure of many redemption centers , while those that remain open have been flooded with customers .
And , in a development that recycling advocates find particularly distressing , manufacturers are increasingly turning to cheaper , non-recycled plastics .
“ This is the horror story that ’ s coming at us , ” said Kreigh Hampel , recycling coordinator at Burbank Recycling Center .
“ Plastic is going to increase and with COVID .
It was the perfect storm.
” In the face of this new crisis , recyclers are having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
While the increased use of packaging for disposable personal protective equipment , takeout food and medical gear would lead many to believe more recyclables have entered the waste stream , business closures and at-home living have led to Californians producing less waste overall .
L.A .
Sanitation , which oversees the city ’ s recycling program , has seen residential waste increase between 15 % and 20 % and commercial waste decrease approximately 15 % , according to director Enrique Zaldivar .
Along with that shift come some significant economic impacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profitable for recyclers , since businesses usually pay by volume of material .
“ For any business , one less customer is always a negative impact , ” Zaldivar said .
In Los Angeles , “ there ’ s somewhere in the order of 5,000 businesses that no longer have trash service or have discontinued temporarily , hopefully not permanently.
” In contrast , residential waste operates with a fixed rate , so even when haulers are picking up more stuff , they ’ re not making more money .
However , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase for customers in the future .
More residential waste has also highlighted the need for revamped public recycling education .
“ We ’ re telling them : You have a blue bin .
All you have to do is throw this stuff in the blue bin and you ’ ve done your part , ” said Assembly member Laura Friedman at a state Assembly hearing last month .
“ So this is the fiction that ’ s been created by the industry and by us .
And the result is mountains of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent study showed that of U.S. plastic trash goes astray every year .
Even when something is signed off as “ recycled , ” it might not be in the way we expect .
When material is exported from California , it is counted as “ recycled , ” even though there is “ no way of tracking when we export those materials if they ’ re actually getting recycled in those countries , ” said Zoe Heller , deputy director of policy development for CalRecycle at a state Assembly hearing last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about one-third of California recyclables .
That number has been decreasing since 2017 , when China dramatically narrowed its global market for imports of certain scrap materials and plastics .
Environmentally , the decrease in exports is “ a good thing , ” according to Heller .
It creates more accountability for the endpoint of American-generated waste .
But economically , the loss of China and countries in Southeast Asia as avenues for exportation presents large challenges , especially for mixed paper and mixed plastic , two materials that don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a 1989 global treaty aimed at regulating the disposal and exportation of waste , will add mixed plastic into its reach of regulated material at the start of 2021 .
This will further limit U.S. ability to export mixed plastic , especially since it is one of the few countries to not have ratified the treaty .
In the meantime , recycling facilities across the state are working to manage those materials .
Large waste management companies are not in danger of shuttering ; those most at risk economically are small facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public in late March out of concern for the safety of its staff .
As more information about the virus became known , they tried to reopen the facility at the end of June .
“ I was really nervous , ” said Hampel .
“ I made a lot of ‘ closed ’ signs , because I just didn ’ t think this thing was going to go right.
” On a Tuesday , they opened with new COVID-19 safety protocols in place .
That Saturday , they received notice that one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week , 17 staff members contracted the virus and 27 additional staff members had to quarantine due to possible exposure .
During the pandemic , only five out of 17 facilities that accept recyclables in Los Angeles have been fully operating , according to L.A .
Sanitation assistant director Alex Helou .
Before it was clear that surfaces were less likely to carry the virus , thousands of tons of recyclables were put into landfills out of fear that they might be infectious and expose staff .
In June , Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that temporarily lifted the statewide ban on single-use plastic bags .
It also allowed for recycling centers to be open for fewer than the previously mandated number of hours , and to close in-store redemption of beverage containers , to protect staff members .
Still , many facilities have struggled to stop the spread of infection among workers .
Waste management is an , and for facilities with public-facing centers still open , staff interact daily with hundreds of people .
L.A .
Sanitation has had over 100 positive cases among its staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has formed from the high number of closed facilities , placing a strain on those that remain open .
Union City ’ s Tri-CED Recycling , the largest non-profit recycling center in California , has managed to stay open , but has had to adapt to accommodate more than double the amount of customers .
Before the pandemic , they averaged between 150 and 185 customers per day .
Now they average between 350 and 385 .
Lines are long — cars snake around the block as customers wait between 45 and 75 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buys and provides masks to all customers , and has even begun operating two portable toilets for those waiting in line .
Richard Valle , president of Tri-CED Recycling , says the other facilities near him officially shut their doors due to coronavirus , but they are staying closed because it ’ s “ just not profitable to run redemption centers ” with the current reality of recycling economics .
The financial toll has grown over the years .
In 2012 , Burbank ’ s recycling program “ used to make about $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , with the low value of recyclables , they ’ re “ paying about $ 50,000 a month ” to get rid of the material .
All these factors have also contributed to another economic concern : the decreasing costs of virgin ( or newly created ) PET plastic .
PET plastic is what ’ s in stuff like disposable water bottles , food packaging and shampoo bottles .
It ’ s currently cheaper for manufacturers to use virgin PET plastic instead of recycled material .
The gap between the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Recycled plastic is getting costlier to make , due to social distancing slowing facility productivity , the closure of international markets and higher contamination rates .
“ Brands revert back to using virgin material because it ’ s generally always going to be cheaper , ” said Pete Keller , vice president of recycling and sustainability for Republic Services .
Virgin PET plastic is made , in part , from oil and most frequently in North America , natural gas .
This April , oil dropped to a — a collapse reflecting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been exasperated by the pandemic and made virgin plastic even cheaper .
Before the pandemic , PET plastic costs were already dropping , with a record-low scrap price of $ 130 per ton last October .
This August , it was $ 56 per ton .
“ We thought like , ‘ Oh , my God , this is the basement , it ’ s never been this low , ’ and now it ’ s half that amount , ” said Murray .
“ It ’ s a financial shock to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s first law requiring recycled content in plastic bottles in an attempt to keep recycled plastic in the running .
AB 793 requires all plastic bottles covered by the state ’ s container redemption program to average 15 % recycled plastic content by 2022 and 50 % by 2030 .
Moving forward , Californians can expect their recycling program to continue , perhaps at a greater personal cost .
To find more solid footing , the industry is looking toward government mandates like AB 793 and increased public education and support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to join the Basel Convention in hopes that it will increase international trade possibilities in the future .
And in the meantime , they ’ re gearing up for the .
The pandemic continues to spike more than ever , with California ’ s number of daily cases tripling in the month of November .
For now , they ’ ll take it one day at a time .
“ It ’ s the spirit of us Angelenos .
And us Californians .
We know that there will be a better day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it won ’ t take too much longer , ” said Zaldivar .

Even before coronavirus arrived on U.S. shores, California waste recyclers were reeling from the collapse of global markets for used plastics and other scrap materials — a predicament that diverted the contents of many blue recycling bins to local landfills.
But now, as COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on all aspects of the economy, the situation has become even more dire for the struggling California waste recycling industry.
Even as hospitals and health officials struggle to cope with a new surge in infections, the pandemic has already significantly altered the waste stream , reducing the profits of many recyclers. Outbreaks and financial concerns have forced the closure of many redemption centers, while those that remain open have been flooded with customers. And, in a development that recycling advocates find particularly distressing, manufacturers are increasingly turning to cheaper, non-recycled plastics.
Advertisement
“This is the horror story that’s coming at us,” said Kreigh Hampel, recycling coordinator at Burbank Recycling Center. “Plastic is going to increase and with COVID. It was the perfect storm.”
In the face of this new crisis, recyclers are having to adjust to the paradox of pandemic life. While the increased use of packaging for disposable personal protective equipment, takeout food and medical gear would lead many to believe more recyclables have entered the waste stream, business closures and at-home living have led to Californians producing less waste overall.
California How the coronavirus is changing L.A. County’s waste stream The coronavirus outbreak has indelibly imprinted itself on life in Los Angeles — down to the composition of trash washing up on its beaches.
L.A. Sanitation, which oversees the city’s recycling program, has seen residential waste increase between 15% and 20% and commercial waste decrease approximately 15%, according to director Enrique Zaldivar. Along with that shift come some significant economic impacts.
Commercial waste pickup is typically more profitable for recyclers, since businesses usually pay by volume of material.
“For any business, one less customer is always a negative impact,” Zaldivar said. In Los Angeles, “there’s somewhere in the order of 5,000 businesses that no longer have trash service or have discontinued temporarily, hopefully not permanently.”
Advertisement
In contrast, residential waste operates with a fixed rate, so even when haulers are picking up more stuff, they’re not making more money. However, it’s likely that these rates could increase for customers in the future.
More residential waste has also highlighted the need for revamped public recycling education.
“We’re telling them: You have a blue bin. All you have to do is throw this stuff in the blue bin and you’ve done your part,” said Assembly member Laura Friedman at a state Assembly hearing last month. “So this is the fiction that’s been created by the industry and by us. And the result is mountains of plastic filling up our landfills.”
A recent study showed that more than 1 million tons of U.S. plastic trash goes astray every year.
Even when something is signed off as “recycled,” it might not be in the way we expect. When material is exported from California, it is counted as “recycled,” even though there is “no way of tracking when we export those materials if they’re actually getting recycled in those countries,” said Zoe Heller, deputy director of policy development for CalRecycle at a state Assembly hearing last month. Historically, exported materials account for about one-third of California recyclables.
That number has been decreasing since 2017, when China dramatically narrowed its global market for imports of certain scrap materials and plastics.
Environmentally, the decrease in exports is “a good thing,” according to Heller. It creates more accountability for the endpoint of American-generated waste.
But economically, the loss of China and countries in Southeast Asia as avenues for exportation presents large challenges, especially for mixed paper and mixed plastic, two materials that don’t have strong domestic markets.
World & Nation Asian countries take a stand against the rich world’s plastic waste When the MV Bavaria cargo ship chugged out of a Philippine port one morning last month carrying 69 containers of rotted Canadian garbage, it didn’t just end a messy diplomatic spat between the two countries.
The Basel Convention, a 1989 global treaty aimed at regulating the disposal and exportation of waste, will add mixed plastic into its reach of regulated material at the start of 2021. This will further limit U.S. ability to export mixed plastic, especially since it is one of the few countries to not have ratified the treaty.
In the meantime, recycling facilities across the state are working to manage those materials. Large waste management companies are not in danger of shuttering; those most at risk economically are small facilities.
Burbank Recycling Center closed to the public in late March out of concern for the safety of its staff. As more information about the virus became known, they tried to reopen the facility at the end of June.
“I was really nervous,” said Hampel. “I made a lot of ‘closed’ signs, because I just didn’t think this thing was going to go right.”
On a Tuesday, they opened with new COVID-19 safety protocols in place. That Saturday, they received notice that one staff member was showing symptoms. Within a week, 17 staff members contracted the virus and 27 additional staff members had to quarantine due to possible exposure.
Since then, they’ve remained closed.
During the pandemic, only five out of 17 facilities that accept recyclables in Los Angeles have been fully operating, according to L.A. Sanitation assistant director Alex Helou.
Before it was clear that surfaces were less likely to carry the virus, thousands of tons of recyclables were put into landfills out of fear that they might be infectious and expose staff.
In June, Gov. Gavin Newsom put out an executive order that temporarily lifted the statewide ban on single-use plastic bags. It also allowed for recycling centers to be open for fewer than the previously mandated number of hours, and to close in-store redemption of beverage containers, to protect staff members.
Still, many facilities have struggled to stop the spread of infection among workers. Waste management is an essential service , and for facilities with public-facing centers still open, staff interact daily with hundreds of people.
L.A. Sanitation has had over 100 positive cases among its staff.
In Northern California, a bottleneck has formed from the high number of closed facilities, placing a strain on those that remain open.
Union City’s Tri-CED Recycling, the largest non-profit recycling center in California, has managed to stay open, but has had to adapt to accommodate more than double the amount of customers. Before the pandemic, they averaged between 150 and 185 customers per day. Now they average between 350 and 385.
Lines are long — cars snake around the block as customers wait between 45 and 75 minutes to redeem recycling.
The front of the line at Tri-CED Recycling. (Richard Valle / Tri-CED)
The center buys and provides masks to all customers, and has even begun operating two portable toilets for those waiting in line.
Richard Valle, president of Tri-CED Recycling, says the other facilities near him officially shut their doors due to coronavirus, but they are staying closed because it’s “just not profitable to run redemption centers” with the current reality of recycling economics.
The financial toll has grown over the years. In 2012, Burbank’s recycling program “used to make about $50,000 a month,” said Hampel. Now, with the low value of recyclables, they’re “paying about $50,000 a month” to get rid of the material.
All these factors have also contributed to another economic concern: the decreasing costs of virgin (or newly created) PET plastic. PET plastic is what’s in stuff like disposable water bottles, food packaging and shampoo bottles.
It’s currently cheaper for manufacturers to use virgin PET plastic instead of recycled material. The gap between the two has grown significantly throughout the pandemic.
Recycled plastic is getting costlier to make, due to social distancing slowing facility productivity, the closure of international markets and higher contamination rates.
“Brands revert back to using virgin material because it’s generally always going to be cheaper,” said Pete Keller, vice president of recycling and sustainability for Republic Services.
Virgin PET plastic is made, in part, from oil and most frequently in North America, natural gas. This April, oil dropped to a record $0 trading price — a collapse reflecting the oversupplied U.S. oil market, which has been exasperated by the pandemic and made virgin plastic even cheaper.
Before the pandemic, PET plastic costs were already dropping, with a record-low scrap price of $130 per ton last October. This August, it was $56 per ton.
“We thought like, ‘Oh, my God, this is the basement, it’s never been this low,’ and now it’s half that amount,” said Murray. “It’s a financial shock to the system.”
This year California passed the nation’s first law requiring recycled content in plastic bottles in an attempt to keep recycled plastic in the running. AB 793 requires all plastic bottles covered by the state’s container redemption program to average 15% recycled plastic content by 2022 and 50% by 2030.
Moving forward, Californians can expect their recycling program to continue, perhaps at a greater personal cost.
To find more solid footing, the industry is looking toward government mandates like AB 793 and increased public education and support. Many industry leaders urge the U.S. to join the Basel Convention in hopes that it will increase international trade possibilities in the future.
And in the meantime, they’re gearing up for the next round of business closures . The pandemic continues to spike more than ever, with California’s number of daily cases tripling in the month of November.
For now, they’ll take it one day at a time.
“It’s the spirit of us Angelenos. And us Californians. We know that there will be a better day. It’s just that we hope it won’t take too much longer,” said Zaldivar.


latimes--2020-12-05--What's the science behind L.A.'s new restrictions? We asked the experts

Until a week ago , I thought I knew how to live with the coronavirus .
I saw friends infrequently and only outside , occasionally ate on the patio of my favorite restaurant and donned a mask every time I went into a store or even just took a walk around my neighborhood .
It certainly wasn ’ t a normal life , but it felt manageable — a life I could live with at least until the spring , when I hoped a vaccine would become widely available .
Then the number of cases in California started surging — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Los Angeles County implemented a flurry of new restrictions .
For me , the most challenging was a ban on gatherings with anyone outside your household .
Like many residents who have tried to be thoughtful and responsible ( if not quite perfect ) , I felt not just frustrated but confused by and defensive over these new restrictions .
Haven ’ t I given up enough already ?
And what are these new restrictions based on — scientific evidence , or fear and panic ?
Dr. Jeffrey Gunzenhauser , chief medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bureau at the L.A. County Department of Public Health , said he understood how I felt — in part because he and his colleagues feel the same way .
“ The challenging part of this is we ’ ve been through a lot already , and people have been very hopeful that what we ’ ve done would be the worst of it , ” he said .
“ We ’ re all trying to reconcile the conflicting emotions within ourselves — that hopefulness and the extreme disappointment .
But the big question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do ?
’ ” Because as frustrated as I feel , I ’ m also frightened .
On Friday , the county reported 8,880 new cases in a single day , up from 1,000 just a month ago .
This surge is like nothing we ’ ve seen before .
To find out if the county ’ s new restrictions are likely to turn things around , I reached out to doctors , infectious-disease experts , economists and computer scientists .
The views were not unanimous , but they all agreed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want to go running up the street yelling , ‘ Do something !
’ ” said Dr. Peter Katona , a professor of medicine and infectious disease at UCLA .
Emma Pierson , a computer scientist at Microsoft Research New England who has modeled how mobility affects who gets the virus and where , explained that the dramatic rise in infections means that activities that were safe a month or two ago may not be safe now .
“ If you know that one person in a billion has COVID , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bar probably don ’ t , ” she said .
“ But if one person in 10 has COVID , then , yeah , the bar probably isn ’ t safe anymore.
” Many of L.A. County ’ s new restrictions appear to be aimed at limiting the ability to gather , the experts said — whether that ’ s at a restaurant , a playground or a grocery store — and they generally think that ’ s the right approach .
“ I think people in L.A. have pandemic fatigue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are having , outside and inside , that is driving these spikes , ” said Dr. Ravina Kullar , an infectious-disease expert in Santa Monica .
Whether these new restrictions will work wonders or hardly move the needle , nobody can say for sure .
There are many variables and unknowns , even this far into the pandemic .
“ It ’ s not that scientists and policymakers are idiots .
They are coping with an enormous amount of uncertainty , ” Pierson said .
They ’ re also trying to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think will make a difference and not overreach on impacting people ’ s lives , ” Gunzenhauser said .
With that in mind , let ’ s take a closer look at the science behind L.A. County ’ s new restrictions .
I asked Gunzenhauser to explain the county ’ s reasoning behind each of the new rules , then asked other medical experts for their take .
Gunzenhauser ’ s explanation : Eating outside is safer than eating inside .
But it has become much riskier than it used to be because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When community transmission goes up , the county has to eliminate activities that are high-risk .
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report from September found that people infected with the virus were twice as likely to have reported eating at a restaurant than those who were virus-free .
However , the study made no distinction between indoor and outdoor dining .
The science is clear that having a meal inside a restaurant is riskier than eating outdoors , Katona said .
That ’ s because when you ’ re outdoors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But eating outdoors in the midst of a surge presents a risk , too .
“ If you keep your distance and your mask on , it seems OK , ” Katona said .
“ The problem is , you have to take your mask off to eat.
” With that in mind , he said he agrees that suspending outdoor dining at restaurants “ is the right decision.
” Kullar had a different take .
“ We know from all the evidence that outdoor restaurants have a lower probability of transmission , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not zero risk , but as long as you ’ re outdoors , and especially if you wear masks between bites and the tables are spaced out , I think it ’ s OK. ” Gunzenhauser ’ s explanation : Having places for children to play is important , but it is difficult to control potential transmission in a playground .
Even though kids aren ’ t likely to get sick , they can be vectors of transmission between families .
Since health officials can ’ t ensure a totally hygienic environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tolerate the risk given the high rates of transmission .
Playgrounds in child-care centers are safer because there ’ s more supervision and more cleaning , he said .
Having kids play together outdoors is better than having them play together indoors , said Spencer Fox , associate director of the University of Texas at Austin ’ s COVID-19 modeling consortium .
At the same time , he worries that playgrounds could be overrun at peak hours , making it difficult for households to socially distance .
“ I can see some reasoning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also see why people are upset , ” he said .
“ Especially if you can time it so you only go on off-peak hours , when it ’ s just you and your child , it should be pretty safe.
” Kullar said she was concerned that open playgrounds might lead to birthday parties and other gatherings .
Those would be better in a playground than indoors , but they ’ re still not great in the midst of a surge .
Katona , a grandparent , said he is sympathetic to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
He said that as long as people are careful , playgrounds don ’ t present much risk .
A ban on gatherings with people outside your household , except for church services and political protests Gunzenhauser ’ s explanation : Health officials tried to educate people about how they can see others safely , but there was a level of noncompliance .
Even if 90 % comply , it ’ s not enough , he said .
The public health department decided there was no choice but to limit gatherings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s no scientific difference between social gatherings and assembling at places of worship or protests , but the latter activities are constitutionally protected , so the county can ’ t regulate them .
Fox agreed that limits on gatherings are useful but said that banning them entirely could be counterproductive .
“ I get the point of trying to restrict gatherings , but there are safe ways to gather in very small numbers , and I would hope public health officials could clearly communicate how to do it in a safe manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to have social interactions.
” Both Kullar and Katona noted that allowing people to attend church services or protests — but not allowing them to visit with a few friends while socially distanced , masked and outdoors — was a head-scratcher .
“ I know it ’ s a law issue , but church services and protests are not OK , in my opinion , ” Kullar said .
Heather E. Tookes , an economist at Yale University , said her research has shown that when counties put limits on gatherings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are finding in the data is limiting gatherings to 10 is helpful , ” she said .
But she didn ’ t look at the effects of banning gatherings entirely .
Essential stores limited to 35 % capacity ( down from 50 % ) Gunzenhauser ’ s explanation : If you ’ re walking down the aisle in a grocery store , the difference between having five people in that aisle and having three people is significant : It ’ s fewer people breathing , less close contact and fewer people standing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this restriction is that it may not help that much , but it can ’ t hurt .
Kullar said she ’ d go a little further .
“ I ’ d even add a time limit , ” she said .
“ We know the longer time you spend in a closed environment , the higher your risk for acquiring the virus.
” Katona said he thinks the difference between 35 % and 50 % capacity would be difficult to measure , but he thinks this restriction sends the right message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something , ” he said .
“ Right now , I ’ m all for being more restrictive , because we are going into a very dangerous period.
” Nonessential businesses limited to 20 % capacity ( down from 25 % ) Gunzenhauser ’ s explanation : This applies to retail stores as well as personal-care establishments like hair and nail salons , barbershops and massage parlors .
The reduction may not seem like a lot , but it ’ s still removing one in five patrons .
Finding compromises that keep businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fox isn ’ t convinced that this small drop in capacity will have a major impact , but it could make a difference because it signals that these activities present a risk , especially if you are in an enclosed space for a long time .
“ Going into a room with a lot of other people who I don ’ t normally have contact with is not a good idea , ” Katona said .
And one word of caution : Tookes ’ research found that closing nonessential businesses led to increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but she thinks it ’ s what economists call a “ substitution effect.
” “ If you can ’ t go shopping or do these other things , you might engage in other social activities that may be more effective at spreading the virus , ” she said .
Gunzenhauser ’ s explanation : Because most of these places are expansive , health officials think 50 % is reasonable capacity .
Zoos and museums can still perform a meaningful service to the community .
“ If you don ’ t have some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do , you ’ d expect more people to flock ” to museums and zoos , she said .
But Katona thought it wasn ’ t necessary .
“ As long as people can stay six feet apart when they are outdoors , I have no problem with these venues having more capacity , ” he said .
Fox said it was hard to say .
Being outside is generally low-risk , but he said he worried about crowding in and around bathrooms , where social distancing might be difficult .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where it might make sense to limit capacity , ” he said .
Gunzenhauser ’ s explanation : Even though card rooms tried to adapt by installing plastic partitions between patrons , people are generally in close proximity , and that presents a risk we can ’ t accept right now .
Once again , the experts acknowledged that being outside is better than being inside , but they said this particular restriction makes sense .
“ Outdoors is usually OK , provided you observe the six-foot distancing , ” Katona said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to do playing cards.
” “ They are like playgrounds or bars , where many people congregate and drink , ” she said .
Adding alcohol to the mix reduces people ’ s vigilance against the virus , and that contributes to “ a high probability of transmission.
” Fox noted that any business that encourages gathering with people from other households could lead to more viral transmission .
That ’ s especially true if people are touching the same cards .

Until a week ago, I thought I knew how to live with the coronavirus.
I saw friends infrequently and only outside, occasionally ate on the patio of my favorite restaurant and donned a mask every time I went into a store or even just took a walk around my neighborhood.
It certainly wasn’t a normal life, but it felt manageable — a life I could live with at least until the spring, when I hoped a vaccine would become widely available.
Advertisement
Then the number of cases in California started surging — just as many infectious-disease experts predicted — and Los Angeles County implemented a flurry of new restrictions.
Beginning at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, a stay-at-home order will take effect in Southern California. Restaurants must halt in-person dining and can offer food only for delivery and takeout. Gatherings of people from different households will be prohibited (except for outdoor church services and political demonstrations). Affected communities will be required to close hair and nail salons, playgrounds, zoos, museums, aquariums and wineries.
Like many residents who have tried to be thoughtful and responsible (if not quite perfect), I felt not just frustrated but confused by and defensive over these new restrictions. Haven’t I given up enough already? And what are these new restrictions based on — scientific evidence, or fear and panic?
Dr. Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, chief medical officer and director of the Disease Control Bureau at the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said he understood how I felt — in part because he and his colleagues feel the same way.
“The challenging part of this is we’ve been through a lot already, and people have been very hopeful that what we’ve done would be the worst of it,” he said. “We’re all trying to reconcile the conflicting emotions within ourselves — that hopefulness and the extreme disappointment. But the big question is, ‘What am I going to do?’”
Because as frustrated as I feel, I’m also frightened. On Saturday, the county reported 9,218 new coronavirus cases, up from 8,562 the day before. This surge is like nothing we’ve seen before.
To find out if the county’s restrictions are likely to turn things around, I reached out to doctors, infectious-disease experts, economists and computer scientists. The views were not unanimous, but they all agreed that some behaviors have to shift.
“I want to go running up the street yelling, ‘Do something!’” said Dr. Peter Katona, a professor of medicine and infectious disease at UCLA.
Emma Pierson, a computer scientist at Microsoft Research New England who has modeled how mobility affects who gets the virus and where, explained that the dramatic rise in infections means that activities that were safe a month or two ago may not be safe now.
“If you know that one person in a billion has COVID, then the 10 people you might encounter in a bar probably don’t,” she said. “But if one person in 10 has COVID, then, yeah, the bar probably isn’t safe anymore.”
Advertisement
Many of L.A. County’s restrictions are aimed at limiting the ability to gather, the experts said — whether that’s at a restaurant, a playground or a grocery store — and they generally think that’s the right approach.
“I think people in L.A. have pandemic fatigue, and it’s the mass gatherings they are having, outside and inside, that is driving these spikes,” said Dr. Ravina Kullar, an infectious-disease expert in Santa Monica.
Whether these new restrictions will work wonders or hardly move the needle, nobody can say for sure. There are many variables and unknowns, even this far into the pandemic.
“It’s not that scientists and policymakers are idiots. They are coping with an enormous amount of uncertainty,” Pierson said.
They’re also trying to “find the balance between implementing restrictions we think will make a difference and not overreach on impacting people’s lives,” Gunzenhauser said.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the science behind L.A. County’s restrictions. I asked Gunzenhauser to explain the county’s reasoning behind each of the rules, then asked other medical experts for their take.
Suspension of outdoor dining at restaurants
A waitress takes an order at L.A.’s Hippo, before the county banned outdoor dining at restaurants. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Gunzenhauser’s explanation: Eating outside is safer than eating inside. But it has become much riskier than it used to be because so many more people are infected. When community transmission goes up, the county has to eliminate activities that are high-risk.
Experts’ take: Mixed.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report from September found that people infected with the virus were twice as likely to have reported eating at a restaurant than those who were virus-free. However, the study made no distinction between indoor and outdoor dining.
The science is clear that having a meal inside a restaurant is riskier than eating outdoors, Katona said. That’s because when you’re outdoors, viral particles dissipate much more quickly. But eating outdoors in the midst of a surge presents a risk, too.
“If you keep your distance and your mask on, it seems OK,” Katona said. “The problem is, you have to take your mask off to eat.”
With that in mind, he said he agrees that suspending outdoor dining at restaurants “is the right decision.”
Kullar had a different take.
“We know from all the evidence that outdoor restaurants have a lower probability of transmission,” she said. “It’s not zero risk, but as long as you’re outdoors, and especially if you wear masks between bites and the tables are spaced out, I think it’s OK.”
Closure of public playgrounds
Polliwog Park in Manhattan Beach is closed under the county’s new health order. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Gunzenhauser’s explanation: Having places for children to play is important, but it is difficult to control potential transmission in a playground. Even though kids aren’t likely to get sick, they can be vectors of transmission between families. Since health officials can’t ensure a totally hygienic environment, they felt they couldn’t tolerate the risk given the high rates of transmission. Playgrounds in child-care centers are safer because there’s more supervision and more cleaning, he said.
Experts’ take: Mixed.
Having kids play together outdoors is better than having them play together indoors, said Spencer Fox, associate director of the University of Texas at Austin’s COVID-19 modeling consortium. At the same time, he worries that playgrounds could be overrun at peak hours, making it difficult for households to socially distance.
“I can see some reasoning for closing playgrounds, but I can also see why people are upset,” he said. “Especially if you can time it so you only go on off-peak hours, when it’s just you and your child, it should be pretty safe.”
Kullar said she was concerned that open playgrounds might lead to birthday parties and other gatherings. Those would be better in a playground than indoors, but they’re still not great in the midst of a surge.
Katona, a grandparent, said he is sympathetic to the challenges of having little kids at home. He said that as long as people are careful, playgrounds don’t present much risk.
A ban on gatherings with people outside your household, except for church services and political protests
Don Stack celebrated his 90th birthday in July with a socially distanced party on his lawn. Gatherings like this are now banned due to new restrictions in L.A. County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Gunzenhauser’s explanation: Health officials tried to educate people about how they can see others safely, but there was a level of noncompliance. Even if 90% comply, it’s not enough, he said. The public health department decided there was no choice but to limit gatherings, at least for a while.
There’s no scientific difference between social gatherings and assembling at places of worship or protests, but the latter activities are constitutionally protected, so the county can’t regulate them.
Experts’ take: Excessive.
Fox agreed that limits on gatherings are useful but said that banning them entirely could be counterproductive.
“I get the point of trying to restrict gatherings, but there are safe ways to gather in very small numbers, and I would hope public health officials could clearly communicate how to do it in a safe manner,” he said. “People need to have social interactions.”
Both Kullar and Katona noted that allowing people to attend church services or protests — but not allowing them to visit with a few friends while socially distanced, masked and outdoors — was a head-scratcher.
“I know it’s a law issue, but church services and protests are not OK, in my opinion,” Kullar said.
Heather E. Tookes, an economist at the Yale School of Management, says her research has shown that when counties put limits on gatherings, COVID-19 fatalities fall.
“What we are finding in the data is limiting gatherings to 10 is helpful,” she said.
But she didn’t look at the effects of banning gatherings entirely.
Essential stores limited to 20% capacity (as of Sunday night), down from 35%
Josefina Reynoso carries her groceries out of Lupita’s Corner Market and Deli in L.A.’s Westlake District. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Gunzenhauser’s explanation: If you’re walking down the aisle of a grocery store, the difference is significant: It’s fewer people breathing, less close contact and fewer people standing in lines for checkout.
Experts’ take: Can’t hurt.
The general response to this restriction is that it may not help that much, but it can’t hurt.
Kullar said she’d go a little further.
“I’d even add a time limit,” she said. “We know the longer time you spend in a closed environment, the higher your risk for acquiring the virus.”
Closure of outdoor card rooms
Outdoor card rooms, like this one at the Commerce Casino, must shut down under L.A. County’s newest restrictions. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Gunzenhauser’s explanation: Even though card rooms tried to adapt by installing plastic partitions between patrons, people are generally in close proximity, and that presents a risk we can’t accept right now.
Experts’ take: Makes sense.
Once again, the experts acknowledged that being outside is better than being inside, but they said this particular restriction makes sense.
“Outdoors is usually OK, provided you observe the six-foot distancing,” Katona said. But that “would seem to be hard to do playing cards.”
Kullar agreed.
“They are like playgrounds or bars, where many people congregate and drink,” she said. Adding alcohol to the mix reduces people’s vigilance against the virus, and that contributes to “a high probability of transmission.”
Fox noted that any business that encourages gathering with people from other households could lead to more viral transmission. That’s especially true if people are touching the same cards.


latimes--2020-12-06--33 million Californians face COVID-19 stay-at-home order that will restrict movements and business

A new stay-at-home order will be imposed on Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley Sunday night , as the coronavirus crisis spirals out of control with a speed that has exceeded health officials ’ most dire projections .
Some 33 million Californians will be subject to the new order , representing 84 % of the state ’ s population .
The state mandated the restrictions in the Southland and Central Valley as capacity at hospitals ’ intensive care units hit dangerously low levels .
Five Bay Area counties will also begin lockdown restrictions in the coming days despite not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action is mandated by the state .
The rules are less sweeping than California ’ s pioneering stay-at-home order in the spring , which is credited with slowing the first COVID-19 wave .
But the new order will change daily life for many , especially in suburban Southern California counties like Orange and Ventura , which so far have enjoyed more open economies than hard-hit Los Angeles County .
Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley will implement the order Sunday at 11:59 p.m .
Restaurants must halt in-person dining and can offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gatherings of people from different households will be prohibited , except for outdoor church services and political demonstrations .
Affected communities will be required to close hair and nail salons , playgrounds , zoos , museums , card rooms , aquariums and wineries .
Nonessential travel and use of hotels for leisure will be banned , as will overnight , short-term stays at campgrounds .
All retail can remain open , but at 20 % capacity .
The rules will remain in place for at least three weeks .
Los Angeles has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The restrictions , which come amid the holiday season , are facing increasing criticism .
Some officials were quick to slam Gov .
Gavin Newsom for going too far .
But new data show that the coronavirus is spreading through communities at alarming rates .
L.A. County has broken single-day case records in four of the last five days .
On Saturday , 9,218 coronavirus cases were reported , according to The Times ’ independent tally .
This exceeded Friday ’ s record of 8,562 cases , which in turn broke Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers mean L.A. County is seeing a more rapid uptick in coronavirus cases than what officials privately forecast last week .
The stay-at-home order — the latest in a series of attempts to slow the spread of the coronavirus and prevent local healthcare systems from becoming overwhelmed — is triggered when a region ’ s ICU capacity drops below 15 % .
On Saturday , Southern California ’ s ICU capacity was 12.5 % , and the San Joaquin Valley ’ s was 8.6 % , according to data released by the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to avoid a crush of COVID-19 patients that could jeopardize hospitals ’ ability to care for them and for patients with other conditions .
Mortality rates can dramatically increase when ICUs are stretched beyond capacity , and officials have warned that there are limits on the number of doctors , nurses and other healthcare providers who are trained in providing intensive care .
Quality of care can fall substantially if hospitals are forced to transfer critically ill patients to parts of the hospital that are not designed for such use .
Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said conditions in hospitals are increasingly bleak .
In San Benito County , the only hospital is “ completely full , ” Dr. David Ghilarducci , the county ’ s public health officer , said in a statement .
“ This is an alarming situation that could get much worse.
” Remote counties are dependent on neighboring areas for care , officials said , meaning that if one or two hospitals become overwhelmed , a domino effect could occur .
“ Our mountain communities rely on the region for ICU-level care for COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our sickest to hospitals in the San Joaquin Valley , ” said Dr. Eric Sergienko , health officer for Mariposa County and acting health officer for Tuolumne County .
“ These hospitals are stretched to capacity.
” In L.A. County , COVID-19 hospitalizations increased to 2,855 on Friday from 2,769 on Thursday ; for comparison , there were about 750 in mid-October .
The number will probably continue to rise , as 49,000 people tested positive over the past week , and about 10 % of them are expected to require hospital care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director , said Saturday .
“ That translates to close to 5,000 patients , and if even 20 % of these patients need care in the ICU , they will require 1,000 staffed ICU beds , ” Ferrer said .
Conditions are worsening in suburban Southern California counties , but some are in better shape than Los Angeles County .
Some officials in those counties said the state should have tailored a plan that considers local differences .
Officials of Ventura County noted that the Southern California region is home to more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are urging Newsom “ to consider smaller , more targeted regions.
” San Luis Obispo County issued a similar statement , saying its ICU capacity is higher than that of most other counties in the Southern California region .
“ We are disappointed to be categorized in the Southern California region and continue to ask state officials to reconsider our regional assignment to better represent the local ICU capacity , ” said Dr. Penny Borenstein , San Luis Obispo County ’ s health officer .
Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said she supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assist one another if their hospitals fill up , but the state ’ s categories are simply too broad .
“ Grouping 11 counties in Southern California into one region , particularly with one county that represents over 25 % of the state ’ s population , is problematic , ” she said , referring to Los Angeles , the state ’ s most populous county .
Bartlett noted that Orange County ’ s ICU capacity is more than 20 % , compared with the regional availability of 12.5 % .
By being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said , some business sectors , like restaurants and theme parks , are being “ unfairly punished ” by the new rules .
“ Based on our current ICU bed capacity , I think Orange County is in fairly good shape , but that could also change very quickly , ” Bartlett said .
“ Our ICU bed capacity literally dropped 15 % in one week .
So we have to watch things very carefully.
” Keegan Hicks , owner of the Harbor Grill in Dana Point , took a break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the popular restaurant was completely booked .
“ We understand why these measures are being taken .
We have nothing but concern and solidarity for front-line hospital workers , ” Hicks said .
“ But we believe that outdoor dining — as long as the restaurant is taking the proper protocols — is not responsible for the spread of the coronavirus.
” He said the restaurant reopened in May , and there have been no known coronavirus cases stemming from his customers or his 60 employees .
“ We believe complete industry shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but we hope that our local legislator — and at the state level — will work on a variance for outdoor dining , as long as outdoor dining is being done responsibly by customers and restaurants , ” he added .
When Los Angeles County suspended outdoor dining Monday , the move sparked a backlash .
A video went viral of an L.A. restaurant owner talking about the devastation the rules were having on her eatery while pointing to a nearby movie shoot , where caterers were serving food to people under outdoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ Everything I own is being taken away from me .
”

Alex Wigglesworth, Rong-Gong Lin II, Sean Greene

Nurse Naomi Okonofua, center, at work in May in the intensive care unit of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Willowbrook. California’s regional stay-at-home orders are tied to ICU capacity.
A new stay-at-home order will be imposed on Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley Sunday night, as the coronavirus crisis spirals out of control with a speed that has exceeded health officials’ most dire projections.
Some 33 million Californians will be subject to the new order, representing 84% of the state’s population. The state mandated the restrictions in the Southland and Central Valley as capacity at hospitals’ intensive care units hit dangerously low levels. Five Bay Area counties will also begin lockdown restrictions in the coming days despite not yet reaching the threshold at which such action is mandated by the state.
The rules are less sweeping than California’s pioneering stay-at-home order in the spring, which is credited with slowing the first COVID-19 wave. But the new order will change daily life for many, especially in suburban Southern California counties like Orange and Ventura, which so far have enjoyed more open economies than hard-hit Los Angeles County.
Advertisement
Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley will implement the order Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Restaurants must halt in-person dining and can offer food only for delivery and takeout. Gatherings of people from different households will be prohibited, except for outdoor church services and political demonstrations. Affected communities will be required to close hair and nail salons, playgrounds, zoos, museums, card rooms, aquariums and wineries. Nonessential travel and use of hotels for leisure will be banned, as will overnight, short-term stays at campgrounds. All retail can remain open, but at 20% capacity.
The rules will remain in place for at least three weeks. Los Angeles has been under a modified stay-at-home order since Monday.
The restrictions, which come amid the holiday season, are facing increasing criticism. Some officials were quick to slam Gov. Gavin Newsom for going too far. But new data show that the coronavirus is spreading through communities at alarming rates.
L.A. County has broken single-day case records in four of the last five days. On Saturday, 9,218 coronavirus cases were reported, according to The Times’ independent tally. This exceeded Friday’s record of 8,562 cases, which in turn broke Thursday’s record of 7,713. The numbers mean L.A. County is seeing a more rapid uptick in coronavirus cases than what officials privately forecast last week.
The stay-at-home order — the latest in a series of attempts to slow the spread of the coronavirus and prevent local healthcare systems from becoming overwhelmed — is triggered when a region’s ICU capacity drops below 15%. On Saturday, Southern California’s ICU capacity was 12.5%, and the San Joaquin Valley’s was 8.6%, according to data released by the state.
Officials have said the measures are needed to avoid a crush of COVID-19 patients that could jeopardize hospitals’ ability to care for them and for patients with other conditions. Mortality rates can dramatically increase when ICUs are stretched beyond capacity, and officials have warned that there are limits on the number of doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers who are trained in providing intensive care. Quality of care can fall substantially if hospitals are forced to transfer critically ill patients to parts of the hospital that are not designed for such use.
Advertisement
Health officials in some rural sections of California said conditions in hospitals are increasingly bleak. In San Benito County, the only hospital is “completely full,” Dr. David Ghilarducci, the county’s public health officer, said in a statement. “This is an alarming situation that could get much worse.”
Remote counties are dependent on neighboring areas for care, officials said, meaning that if one or two hospitals become overwhelmed, a domino effect could occur.
“Our mountain communities rely on the region for ICU-level care for COVID and other serious medical conditions, transferring our sickest to hospitals in the San Joaquin Valley,” said Dr. Eric Sergienko, health officer for Mariposa County and acting health officer for Tuolumne County. “These hospitals are stretched to capacity.”
In L.A. County, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased to 2,855 on Friday from 2,769 on Thursday; for comparison, there were about 750 in mid-October. The number will probably continue to rise, as 49,000 people tested positive over the past week, and about 10% of them are expected to require hospital care, Barbara Ferrer, the county health director, said Saturday.
“That translates to close to 5,000 patients, and if even 20% of these patients need care in the ICU, they will require 1,000 staffed ICU beds,” Ferrer said.
Conditions are worsening in suburban Southern California counties, but some are in better shape than Los Angeles County. Some officials in those counties said the state should have tailored a plan that considers local differences.
Officials of Ventura County noted that the Southern California region is home to more than half the state’s population and are urging Newsom “to consider smaller, more targeted regions.”
San Luis Obispo County issued a similar statement, saying its ICU capacity is higher than that of most other counties in the Southern California region.
“We are disappointed to be categorized in the Southern California region and continue to ask state officials to reconsider our regional assignment to better represent the local ICU capacity,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, San Luis Obispo County’s health officer.
Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said she supports a regional approach so that counties can assist one another if their hospitals fill up, but the state’s categories are simply too broad.
“Grouping 11 counties in Southern California into one region, particularly with one county that represents over 25% of the state’s population, is problematic,” she said, referring to Los Angeles, the state’s most populous county.
Bartlett noted that Orange County’s ICU capacity is more than 20%, compared with the regional availability of 12.5%. By being forced to shut down or reduce operations, she said, some business sectors, like restaurants and theme parks, are being “unfairly punished” by the new rules.
“Based on our current ICU bed capacity, I think Orange County is in fairly good shape, but that could also change very quickly,” Bartlett said. “Our ICU bed capacity literally dropped 15% in one week. So we have to watch things very carefully.”
Keegan Hicks, owner of the Harbor Grill in Dana Point, took a break from seating customers Saturday night, when the popular restaurant was completely booked.
“We understand why these measures are being taken. We have nothing but concern and solidarity for front-line hospital workers,” Hicks said. “But we believe that outdoor dining — as long as the restaurant is taking the proper protocols — is not responsible for the spread of the coronavirus.”
He said the restaurant reopened in May, and there have been no known coronavirus cases stemming from his customers or his 60 employees.
“We believe complete industry shutdown is outrageous. We will comply, but we hope that our local legislator — and at the state level — will work on a variance for outdoor dining, as long as outdoor dining is being done responsibly by customers and restaurants,” he added.
When Los Angeles County suspended outdoor dining Monday, the move sparked a backlash. A video went viral of an L.A. restaurant owner talking about the devastation the rules were having on her eatery while pointing to a nearby movie shoot, where caterers were serving food to people under outdoor tents.
“I am losing everything.” she said. “Everything I own is being taken away from me.”
Times staff writer Thomas Curwen contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-12-06--Column: Think things are bad now? For California's have-nots, it's about to get worse

It has been more than a week , but Vee Serna is still shaken .
In the darkness of the night before Thanksgiving , the young mother watched as California Highway Patrol officers descended on the neighborhood of El Sereno , callously yanking families from the vacant , state-owned houses they had commandeered mere hours before .
Dozens of people were arrested on suspicion of trespassing , burglary and unlawful assembly .
Terrified of what would happen if the officers found her and and her 8-year-old in one of the houses , Serna decided it was best to leave .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their cramped , one-bedroom apartment in Highland Park , once again facing the possibility of eviction .
“ I ’ ve been living off my credit cards , food banks and just the mutual aid of my friends and community , ” Serna said .
“ I ’ m just committed to doing whatever I can to not end up on the streets.
” Many Californians are likely to find themselves in exactly this kind of desperate situation in the coming weeks and months .
It ’ s what retired UCLA law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ perfect superstorm ” for people on the verge of losing their housing or who are already homeless .
“ It ’ s a failure of policy at every level , ” he said .
And he ’ s right .
Above all , there ’ s the worsening COVID-19 pandemic .
In recent weeks , despite a host of confusing efforts by our elected leaders to slow the surge , California has repeatedly shattered records for new coronavirus cases .
Come Sunday , 11 counties in the southern half of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home order .
Counties in the Bay Area , eyeing the region ’ s rapidly availability of intensive care beds , have already taken then step , and others will no doubt follow suit .
This means more businesses will shutter , and more people who are already living paycheck-to-paycheck will get laid off and be unable to pay their rent .
Even before the pandemic , more than 1 in 5 households in California spent more than half of their income on housing .
There ’ s also the winding down of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s aspirational program to get thousands of the most vulnerable homeless people off the streets and into hotel rooms .
Although Newsom last week said he hopes to work with the incoming Biden administration to extend federal funding for rooms into 2021 , there ’ s no guarantee .
And in the meantime , more than a few homeless people are likely to end up back up on the streets .
Then there ’ s the cold , wet weather that ’ s moving in — and along with it a debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave people outside isolated in their tents or allow them to again pack indoor spaces such as congregant shelters , which can be vectors for coronavirus infections .
In Sacramento , for example , the death of a homeless man in his 60s , Greg Tarola , has prompted rounds of soul searching among city and county officials about when and how to open warming centers .
He was found not far from the city ’ s complex of shelters , wrapped in blankets wet from the previous night ’ s rain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Days earlier , he had shared his pessimism about the coming weeks and months with reporters .
“ You ’ re strictly on your own , ” Tarola told Capital Public Radio .
“ Pray for God that he comes through because you ’ ve got nothing.
” Up and down the state , food banks , nonprofits and social services agencies are being overrun by people in need .
That , too , is likely to worsen in the coming weeks , as the new stay-at-home order further restricts access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people go to charge their phones and use the restroom , even as there has been a renewed a push to start clearing encampments after months of leaving them untouched so as to not increase the risk of spreading COVID-19 .
And looming of all of this , Blasi lamented , is the coming expiration of state and federal eviction protections — and with it , mandates to pay back rent .
“ That ’ s kind of what we ’ re seeing now with the weather , the COVID super-spike , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being joined by people being evicted , either legally or illegally , ” he said .
And the impact on Black and Latino communities will continue to be in “ orders of magnitude.
” If such desperate times do indeed call for desperate measures , no one should be surprised about what happened in El Sereno last month .
In fact , this is the second time this year that people have commandeered some of the dozens of houses owned by Caltrans , which purchased them years ago as part of a now-failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s an open question why the state transportation agency has let the houses sit there empty for so long that they ’ ve become , as spokesman Caltrans Matt Rocco says , “ unsafe and uninhabitable.
” Especially while L.A. is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis .
But at least the first group of so-called reclaimers managed to persuade the city and state officials to turn some of the homes into transitional housing .
Serna had similar hopes about joining up with 20 or so other families who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ A couple of people just asked me if I was interested , and , you know , I couldn ’ t say no , ” she said .
Three years ago , she explained , a private investment firm bought her apartment building .
Since then , she said her new landlord has worked nonstop to evict her — from raising the rent before a state law capping it went into effect this year to sending out a notice that she needed leave because massive repairs were planned for her apartment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matters , Serna said she lost her job working for a nonprofit in the early weeks of the pandemic .
She hasn ’ t been able to find another , in part because she needs to work from home because her daughter has special needs and , like millions of students , is taking classes virtually .
“ We were already super rent burdened , ” she said .
“ And so now after eight months , there ’ s no way that I can be paying rent plus paying back [ rent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considered moving , but has neither the credit score , nor the money to make it work .
She said she applied to the city for rental assistance , but at $ 2,000 , it wasn ’ t enough .
“ I ’ m a single mom , ” she said .
“ I always have worked full time before this pandemic , and I was able able to make it , but it ’ s still not the kind of income that they require.
” L.A. City Councilman Kevin de León , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stepped up with a plan to rehab and turn the Caltrans houses over to low-income tenants .
In the meantime , he has promised to distribute housing vouchers to the reclaimers who were booted out and are now couch-surfing with friends or sleeping in cars or tents .
Serna says she doesn ’ t know whether she ’ ll accept a voucher whenever it is offered .
Her voice cracked as she recalled how , in the few hours they lived in El Sereno , her daughter had already started to envision a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room .
Then they had to leave .
“ We want a long-term solution and stability , ” Serna said , pausing , searching for the words .
Words that many in California understand all too well .
“ I feel like there ’ s no light at the end of this path for me .
”

A sign warns against trespassing in El Sereno last month. A retired UCLA professor says a “perfect superstorm” is ahead for many Californians who are on the verge of losing their housing or who are already homeless.
It has been more than a week, but Vee Serna is still shaken.
In the darkness of the night before Thanksgiving, the young mother watched as California Highway Patrol officers descended on the neighborhood of El Sereno, callously yanking families from the vacant, state-owned houses they had commandeered mere hours before. Dozens of people were arrested on suspicion of trespassing, burglary and unlawful assembly.
Terrified of what would happen if the officers found her and and her 8-year-old in one of the houses, Serna decided it was best to leave. But now mother and daughter are back in their cramped, one-bedroom apartment in Highland Park, once again facing the possibility of eviction.
“I’ve been living off my credit cards, food banks and just the mutual aid of my friends and community,” Serna said. “I’m just committed to doing whatever I can to not end up on the streets.”
Many Californians are likely to find themselves in exactly this kind of desperate situation in the coming weeks and months. It’s what retired UCLA law professor and researcher Gary Blasi calls a “perfect superstorm” for people on the verge of losing their housing or who are already homeless.
Advertisement
“It’s a failure of policy at every level,” he said. And he’s right.
Ruby Gordillo, middle, lets herself into a home in the El Sereno neighborhood of Los Angeles. In March, she and other families on the verge of homelessness became the first to “reclaim” some of the long vacant homes owned by Caltrans. In November, a second group tried to do it again. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
Above all, there’s the worsening COVID-19 pandemic. In recent weeks, despite a host of confusing efforts by our elected leaders to slow the surge, California has repeatedly shattered records for new coronavirus cases. Come Sunday, 11 counties in the southern half of the state will be under a new, state-imposed stay-at-home order. Counties in the Bay Area, eyeing the region’s availability of intensive care beds, have already taken the step, and others will no doubt follow suit.
This means more businesses will close, and more people who are already living paycheck to paycheck will get laid off and be unable to pay their rent. Even before the pandemic, more than 1 in 5 households in California spent more than half of their income on housing.
There’s also the winding down of Project Roomkey, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s aspirational program to get thousands of the most vulnerable homeless people off the streets and into hotel rooms. Although Newsom last week said he hopes to work with the incoming Biden administration to extend federal funding for rooms into 2021, there’s no guarantee. And in the meantime, more than a few homeless people are likely to end up back up on the streets.
Then there’s the cold, wet weather that’s moving in — and along with it a debate over whether it’s safer to leave people outside isolated in their tents or allow them to again pack indoor spaces such as congregant shelters, which can be vectors for coronavirus infections.
In Sacramento, for example, the death of a homeless man in his 60s, Greg Tarola, has prompted rounds of soul searching among city and county officials about when and how to open warming centers. He was found not far from the city’s complex of shelters, wrapped in blankets wet from the previous night’s rain, when the temperature dropped to 37 degrees.
Days earlier, he had shared his pessimism about the coming weeks and months with reporters.
Advertisement
“You’re strictly on your own,” Tarola told Capital Public Radio. “Pray for God that he comes through because you’ve got nothing.”
Up and down the state, food banks, nonprofits and social services agencies are being overrun by people in need. That, too, is likely to worsen in the coming weeks, as the new stay-at-home order further restricts access to libraries, gyms and other places homeless people go to charge their phones and use the restroom, even as there has been a renewed a push to start clearing encampments after months of leaving them untouched so as to not increase the risk of spreading COVID-19.
And looming over of all of this, Blasi lamented, is the coming expiration of state and federal eviction protections — and with it, mandates to pay back rent.
“That’s kind of what we’re seeing now with the weather, the COVID super-spike, and people that are already on the street being joined by people being evicted, either legally or illegally,” he said. And the effects on Black and Latino communities will continue to be in “orders of magnitude.”
::
If such desperate times do indeed call for desperate measures, no one should be surprised about what happened in El Sereno last month. In fact, this is the second time this year that people have commandeered some of the dozens of houses owned by the California Department of Transportation, which purchased them years ago as part of a now-failed plan to extend the 710 Freeway.
It’s an open question why the state agency has let the houses sit there empty for so long that they’ve become, as Caltrans spokesman Matt Rocco says, “unsafe and uninhabitable.” Especially while L.A. is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. But at least the first group of so-called reclaimers managed to persuade the city and state officials to turn some of the homes into transitional housing.
Serna had similar hopes about joining up with 20 or so other families who call themselves Reclaim and Rebuild Our Community.
“A couple of people just asked me if I was interested, and, you know, I couldn’t say no,” she said.
Three years ago, she explained, a private investment firm bought her apartment building. Since then, she said, her new landlord has worked nonstop to evict her — from raising the rent before a state law capping it went into effect this year to sending out a notice that she needed to leave because massive repairs were planned for her apartment, and only her apartment.
Iris De Anda, 41, a member of Reclaim and Rebuild Our Community, speaks during a news conference in the El Sereno neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Compounding matters, Serna said, she lost her job working for a nonprofit in the early weeks of the pandemic. She hasn’t been able to find another, in part because she needs to work from home because her daughter has special needs and, like millions of students, is taking classes virtually.
“We were already super rent-burdened,” she said. “And so now after eight months, there’s no way that I can be paying rent plus paying back” rent.
Serna said she has considered moving, but she has neither the credit score nor the money to make it work. She said she applied to the city for rental assistance, but at $2,000, it wasn’t enough.
“I’m a single mom,” she said. “I always have worked full time before this pandemic, and I was able able to make it, but it’s still not the kind of income that they require.”
L.A. City Councilman Kevin de León, whose district includes El Sereno, has stepped up with a plan to rehab and turn the Caltrans houses over to low-income tenants. In the meantime, he has promised to distribute housing vouchers to the reclaimers who were booted out and are now couch-surfing with friends or sleeping in cars or tents.
Serna says she doesn’t know whether she’ll accept a voucher whenever it is offered. Her voice cracked as she recalled how, in the few hours they lived in El Sereno, her daughter had already started to envision a life in which she had her own room. Then they had to leave.
“We want a long-term solution and stability,” Serna said, pausing, searching for the words. Words that many in California understand all too well. “I feel like there’s no light at the end of this path for me.”