The City of Berkeley Health Officer has ordered residents to shelter in place through April 7, leaving only to receive or provide essential services.

We will continue providing essential services including trash and recycling pickup. Non-essential services are suspended and City buildings are closed to the public, with limited exceptions.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Changes to City services

Changes to services and operations

Non-essential City services are suspended during the Health Officer's Shelter at Home Order. In some cases, limited services may be available by phone or email.

All City buildings are closed to the public, with limited exceptions.

Specific service changes during the shelter at home order include:

• Adult Mental Health: Client hours at 1521 University for Adult Mental Health services are limited to 10am-12pm Monday-Thursday and 1-3pm on Friday. For now, due to concerns about the small waiting room, hours at Alcatraz will remain the same.

• Aging Services Case Management: Aging Services is limiting in-person contacts to essential visits only. Referrals are being accepted by phone (510) 981-5180. Referrals will be assessed and triaged by a supervisor, and response times may be delayed.

• Animal Services: The Animal Shelter at 1 Bolivar Drive is closed to the public. We are still conducting animal control services and accepting stray animal dropoff.

• BESO: If you have a building sale during this time and need a BESO compliance form, please email a copy of the application to beso@cityofberkeley.info in addition to mailing the application and filing fee. BESO staff will issue a temporary compliance form that can be included in the closing documents. The final compliance form will be sent once the filing fee payment has been received.

• Birth and Death Certificates: The office of Vital Stats will provide birth and death certificates by appointment only. Appointments will be scheduled after a phone screening.

• Boards and Commissions: Board and Commission meetings have been canceled for 60 days.

• Construction and Building Permits: For information about construction, inspections, and permit applications during this period, see guidance allowed construction activities and ways to get building and safety services online.

• Handwashing stations: The City has installed public handwashing stations in areas with a high need. See an interactive map of public handwashing stations.

• Parking Enforcement: We will not issue citations related to parking meters, time limited parking, school zones, or residential permit parking.

  We will continue to issue citations for parking violations that impact public safety or impede access to essential services, including:

• red curbs and fire hydrants
• disabled parking blue zones
• street sweeping
• yellow zones in commercial areas
• double parking
• bus stops

We will enforce prohibitions on parking in construction zones and driveways by complaint only.

• Parks: All recreation facilities, including play structures, sports fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, pickleball courts, volleyball courts, and climbing/bouldering areas are closed. Small parks without sufficient space to support social distancing are closed.

  Open space in large parks remains open for community members to enjoy alone or with members of their household. Do not gather in parks with people who don't live with you.

• Police Review Commission: Police Review Commission will not be available by phone, but will monitor emails at prc@cityofberkeley.info.

• Public Health Clinic: The Ann Chandler Clinic is providing prescription refills and tele-medicine appointments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only.

• Recreation programs: All recreation programs are closed. This includes all afterschool programs, spring break camps, aquatics programs, recreation and athletics programs (youth and adults sports, leagues, drop-in activities, classes, open gym), tot and pre-k programs, teen programs, field trips, and all permits for field, pickleball, and tennis court reservations.

• Recreation customer service: Recreation customer service is available by phone at (510) 981-5150 or email at recreation@cityofberkeley.info during office closures.

• Rent Board: Limited services are available by phone and email. Phones are not being answered, but messages are checked regularly. If possible, email questions to rent@cityofberkeley.info. Otherwise, leave a message at (510) 981-7368. Include the following information in your email or voice message:

• your name
• your property address
• the best time to reach you
• briefly describe the reason for your call

• Transfer Station: The Transfer Station is an essential service and will remain open.

• Willard shower program: The free shower program at 2701 Telegraph will continue with expanded hours: Mon-Fri 5:30pm to 8:30pm, Sat-Sun 9am to 12pm.

• YouthWorks: Because staff are not able to provide in-person assistance to applicants during this Order, the YouthWorks summer jobs application deadline has been extended to April 14, 2020.

Closures

All City buildings are generally closed to the public, with a small number of narrow exceptions to provide essential services.

Specific closures include, but are not limited to:

Administrative Offices

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Center Building, 2180 Milvia St.
• Administrative office building, 1947 Center St.
• Corporation Yard, 1326 Allston

Community services

• Fire stations: All fire stations are closed to the public.
• Libraries: All libraries are closed to the public.
• Senior Centers: Both the North Berkeley and South Berkeley Senior Centers are closed to the public.

Customer service centers & counters

• Customer Service Center, 1947 Center St.
• Engineering customer service, 1947 Center St.
• Fire customer service counter, 2100 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way
• Permit Service Center, 1947 Center St.
• Police customer service counter, 2100 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way
• Recreation customer service offices, 2701 Telegraph Avenue and 1720 8th St.
• Transportation customer service, 1947 Center St.

Health services

• Ann Chandler Public Health Clinic, 830 University, except for prescription refills which will be provided only on Tuesdays.
• Berkeley High School Health Center, 1980 Allston Way
• Mental Health Family Youth and Children's outpatient services, 3282 Adeline Street

Parks

These parks are closed entirely:

• 63rd Street Mini Park, 1615 63rd St.
• Bateman Mall Park, 3027 Colby St.
• Becky Temko Tot Park, 2424 Roosevelt St.
• Charlie Dohr Mini Park, 2208 Action St.
• Grizzly Peak Park, 50 Whitaker Ave.
• Haskell-Mabel Mini Park, 1255 Haskell St.
• Ohlone Dog Park, 1800 Hearst Ave.
• Price Street Mini Park, 1631 Prince St.
• Virginia McGee Totland, 1644 Virginia

Recreation centers

• Frances Albrier Community Center, 2800 Park St.
• James Kenney Community Center, 1720 8th St.
• Live Oak Community Center, 1301 Shattuck
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Services Center/Young Adult Project (YAP), 1730 Oregon St.
• Willard Clubhouse, 2720 Hillegass

Recreation facilities

All recreation space is closed with the exception of open space in large parks. All play structures, sports fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, pickleball courts, volleyball courts, and climbing/bouldering areas are closed.

Standalone facility closures include:

• Adventure Playground, 160 University
• Berkeley Skate Park, 711 Harrison
• Gabe Catalfo Fields, 1100 4th St.
• King Pool, 1700 Hopkins
• Shorebird Park nature center, 160 University
• Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex, 400 Gilman St.
• West Campus Pool, 2100 Browning

Canceled events

• All City-sponsored or permitted events have been canceled.

• All programming at Berkeley Public Libraries is canceled.

• Board and Commission meetings are canceled for 60 days, except for critical items before the following:

• Design Review Committee
• Fair Campaign Practices Commission
• Joint Subcommittee on the Implementation of State Housing Laws
• Landmarks Preservation Commission
• Open Government Commission
• Personnel Board
• Planning Commission
• Police Review Commission
• Zoning Adjustments Board

Specific events that have been canceled include:

• 2020 Census Celebration (April 4)
• Flashlight Egg Hunt (April 10)
• Spring Egg Hunt (April 11)
• Berkeley Bay Festival (April 18)
• Shoreline Cleanup (April 25)

Last updated March 29, 2020