All of us are eager to go back to our favorite local businesses, reunite with friends and family, and return to some sense of normalcy. I'm committed to equip Los Angeles County with the tools we need to reach these goals. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health approved an initial step to ease Safer at Home orders for businesses and public spaces as of May 8. We're excited to have reopened trails and golf courses and allow car dealerships, florists, and stores that sell toys, books, clothing, sporting goods, and music to offer curbside pickup.
Our Board of Supervisors passed a Roadmap to Economic Recovery that will get people back to work and support local businesses. We're starting an Economic Resiliency Task Force, which will garner input from businesses, labor partners, L.A. County department heads, and city leaders. I have heard heart-wrenching stories from people who are struggling to put food on the table, so we need to set our sights on recovery. We are creating a permanent non-profit L.A. County fund to provide economic security for jobseekers and small businesses. We're also implementing a Los Angeles County Works initiative, which will enable us to advance workforce development efforts.
Our residents have made immeasurable sacrifices - personally, emotionally, and financially. I'm immensely thankful you've adhered to health guidelines so far, which has successfully prevented a surge in new cases. We don't want to undo all the good we've accomplished, so we must take precaution when preparing to reopen businesses. This will not happen all at once, but in stages as public health experts deem it appropriate. The Department of Public Health has set four benchmarks before we can lift restrictions. These include: first, the capacity to care for those who are sick; second, protection for the most vulnerable; third, increasing our ability to test, isolate and quarantine; fourth and finally, the ability to ensure ongoing physical distancing.
In the meantime, thank you for your patience and compliance. Your commitment to your health, and to the well-being of your family and neighbors, has gotten us this far and will continue to propel us forward. These efforts are critical to rebuild our communities. I know we will soon be able to reopen L.A. County to revitalize the local economy, ensure good-paying jobs for residents, and reconnect our community members.
You know your own needs best, so I invite you to share your innovative ideas as we look for more streamlined, cost-efficient ways to move forward.
For more information,
timely updates, and comprehensive resources, visit kathrynbarger.lacounty.gov
and covid19.lacounty.gov.