Keep watchful eye on Marin’s at-risk groups

There is much to reflect upon after California and Marin health officials allowed the state and county COVID-19 state of emergency to expire last week.

Coronavirus death totals have topped 100,000 in our state (with suspected cases numbering more than 11 million). That is a serious loss. But the willingness of residents across California — especially in Marin — to get vaccinated, as well as to practice social distancing during COVID-19's most-lethal days, kept the county's hospital beds from filling to capacity and, most certainly, kept the death toll lower than it could have been.

New variants of COVID-19 continue to infect people around Marin, but the riskmanagement equation has changed for most. Gov. Gavin Newsom's action is a big step forward in acknowledging that the strains are weaker and those who took the vaccine, as well as the subsequent boosters, rarely need emergency medical care after a breakthrough case.

Economic recovery following the pandemic emergency shutdown is far from complete. Important pillars of the Marin community face an uncertain future. In conjunction with the end of the emergency, food and health care services for some will change, Marin's smallbusiness owners face continuing challenges with a shrunken safety net and the county's renters must try to keep pace as the emergency rental assistance program winds down.

Nobody wants to see continuing impacts of the pandemic lead to empty downtown storefronts, vulnerable residents unable to get support or the county's working poor evicted from Marin's limited affordable rental housing.

Marin's small business owners showed remarkable entrepreneurial spirit during the COVID-19 emergency. They found new ways to support the community — from outdoor dining to online services. Some thrived, but many are still feeling their way. The remaining support mechanisms at the county and municipal levels will need to be engaged to prevent a further slide in closures.

Chambers of commerce have alerts on high in the coming months to ensure that members are supported as most remaining pandemic-enacted supports are removed.

Municipal and county organizations should also look out for Marin small businesses not protected by chambers. Often these businesses were started by people of color. Even before the pandemic, many operated on a shoestring budget and some could not afford to be part of their town's chamber. Those businesses are often important parts of their communities and are always an important part of their town's tax base.

How will renters fare without Marin's renter assistance program enacted during the pandemic? The last of the funding is set to be distributed by the end of the month. It leaves an uneasy feeling for administrators fully aware of Marin's many low-income residents working to make ends meet each month. Additionally, “mom and pop” landlords relying on income from renters will be exposed once again.

The county should explore the recently floated idea of reserving the remaining $4.4 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to assist renters and landlords. There is a chance evictions could skyrocket in the coming months. The money would be an important safety net stopping a preventable disaster.

Extra benefits provided by CalFresh — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps — will end this month. So will the temporary rules allowing more people to stay registered for MediCal benefits. These programs help with food and health care for Marin's most vulnerable residents. Elected officials at the county and municipality level must be calibrated to recognize any increases in food insecurity or loss of health care coverage to raise the alarm and step in with support.

The importance of Newsom's declaration this week is easy to see, but so is the recognition that challenges lie ahead for some in the Marin community. It will take continued local leadership to weather this portion of the pandemic storm.