Peninsula cities ramp up responses
MONTEREY >> Monterey and Pacific Grove are stepping up efforts to manage a health and economic crisis that is evolving by the moment.
On Wednesday, Monterey City Manager Hans Uslar said both the Portola Hotel and Monterey Plaza Hotel have shut down, while at the same time the city is waiting for direction from the state whether rooms can be rented out. The state is also considering the idea that hotels could be transitioned into make-shift health care facilities as COVID-19 infections overwhelm hospitals as computer models indicate.
One analysis indicated that using every bed in every hospital in the state would still be some 20,000 beds short of enough for all the anticipated number of patients, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
Pacific Grove City Manager Ben Harvey said on Wednesday the city has instituted several changes aimed at providing services to residents while also being prudent in efforts to contain the virus. The city has created a public information office tasked with using its website and social media and email contacts to get important information out to the public.
“Every day the city managers are coming together to share information so that we are collaborating instead of working in silos,” Harvey said.
Pacific Grove remains operational but is essentially closed to in-person visits. “We are here and we want to help you but we need to do it over the phone or by email,” Harvey said. When physical contact is needed, such as submitting building plans or paying bills, the city has set up a dropbox in the lobby of the Pacific Grove Police Department.
Also, the city has dedicated a page of its website to COVID-19 updates. Carmel has a webpage dedicated to COVID-19 updates at https://ci.carmel.ca.us/post/ local-updates and the city of Marina has set up a dedicated page at https://www.cityofmarina. org/953/Updated-Informationon-Coronavirus.
Back in Monterey, Uslar said all meetings have been canceled through mid-April except for the City Council and Planning Commission. Those meetings will have physical distancing restric
tions that will allow a limited number of members of the public to attend.
He emphasized that those meetings are streamed live over its video-on-demand web page as well as broadcast on Monterey Channel 25.
Many experts believe the outbreak could last until July or August, so end dates will need to be reevaluated on a regular basis.
Uslar said several councilmembers expressed concern over the most vulnerable in the city, particularly the homeless population. He confirmed that the nonprofit iHelp is housing 25 men and 25 women in shelters in the city. Community Human Services continues to operate SafePlace for homeless youth.
“We are reaching out to the governor’s office and the state to give us direction and help for solutions for homelessness,” Uslar said. “We are also looking at the possibility of an eviction moratorium.”
Other updates include:
• Monterey continues to work with other agencies and nonprofit groups to ensure the elderly have the services they need.
• The city is working on providing refunds to Monterey Sports Center members after the facility closed last week.
• The Police Department lobby is closed, but there is a phone outside to connect with police staff.
• The city is reaching out to Monterey County for clarification on its shelterin-place requirements as it pertains to guests that are still in hotels.