Copy
View this email in your browser
Friends and neighbors,

We are keeping our VTA family in our thoughts as we continue to reflect upon the incident at the Rail YardHere are my comments to KRON 4 on the recent tragedy. Support resources are available at these links - WPUSA Support Fund - ATU Relief Fund - Health Services.

COVID-19 Update
We're almost there Santa Clara County! As of today, June 4, 2021, more than 76% of Santa Clara County residents have received their first vaccination and more than 64% have completed their vaccinations. Our cases continue to remain low. Please continue to get tested and be mindful to follow safety measures.

We're also excited to announce the opening of a weekly vaccination site at the Columbia Neighborhood Community Center at 785 Morse Ave. in Sunnyvale EVERY Wednesday from 5-7 pm - no appointments necessary! Hopefully June will be the month that California reopens - let's continue to do right by our health and our community. Click HERE to learn more English  |  中文  |  Español  |  Tiếng Việt  |  Tagalog
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
As summer approaches and our community reopens, we will begin to connect with you in-person and in our neighborhoods. We want you to be a part of the work we hope to accomplish for our families. We have several upcoming actions we would like you to be a part of:

D3 Community Roundtable
This summer we are bringing neighbors from across District 3 together to be a part of our D3 Community Roundtable (D3CR). The D3CR will be our conduit with the community to get on the ground feedback from our neighbors and to help deliver information back to the community.

The D3CR will meet regularly and provide insight on what issues need our attention, and how the work we are doing at the County Board of Supervisors is helping our neighborhoods and families. Please click here to let us know if you are interested in joining our D3 Community Roundtable. We have also included a video so you may learn more about the Roundtable.
D3 Community Roundtable Video
D3 Community Survey
Right now the D3 Team is putting together a community survey that we will be sharing with you this summer. This will be a chance for you to share your feedback with us on what issues are important to you. We will have more information about our community survey soon. If there is a question you would like us to ask our community, please send us your thoughts

County Boards & Commissions
At the May 25 Board of Supervisors meeting we confirmed four new appointments from District 3. We are honored to welcome Dennis J. Grilli to the Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy Sister County Commission; Juan Manuel Gutierrez to the Code Enforcement Appeals Board; Jacob Mitchell Ciari to the Board of Plumbing Examiners and Ron Lind to the County of Santa Clara Moscow Sister-County Commission.

Being a member of a County Board or Commission is a great chance to be active in our community and be a voice for your neighbors to make a difference on issues that are important to you. There are several vacancies on County Commissions and Boards that we want you to apply for - like the Senior Care Commission or Parks & Recreation CommissionPlease click HERE for a full list of current vacancies and Click HERE for the Application link
BOS Meeting Update
At our May 25, 2021 Board of Supervisors meeting we addressed several important items that we want to share with you in more detail. One primary item, no. 26, was the implementation of a pilot Assisted Outpatient Treatment program, which was the basis of our recent D3 Focus On Mental Health, click here to read.
Assisted Outpatient Treatment Programs (AOT)
Addressing mental health is just as complex and varied as the challenges and illnesses that impact our mental health, and we also need to take action to help one another. AOT, commonly known as Laura’s Law, has already been implemented or approved in 20 different Counties in California. These latest adoptions of AOT by Counties are due in part to the passage AB 1976 in 2020 by the California Legislature. AB 1976 made AOT an opt-out rather than opt-in program to be decided by July 1, 2021.

We fully recognize the necessity for a sympathetic and inclusive approach to mental health. AOT offers that needed humane approach to helping the most severely mentally ill individuals get treatment, rather than ending up in the carceral system as they so often do. AOT is specifically designed for a small, select portion of the mentally ill population who are not able to seek out treatment because of their mental illness. AOT is a way to outreach to these communities to help bring them the resources and treatments that they need. 

As noted during the BOS meeting by the community, staff and myself, AOT is not a panacea to the issues we face. I do feel it will help us prioritize the most vulnerable and in need of immediate care in our communities. This is why I asked my colleagues to include three additional requests for off-agenda reports on funding sources and substance abuse services, and to ensure we are connecting with local veterans organizations for our veterans to receive support as well. My requests were included and AOT passed unanimously. For more information about AOT and our D3 Focus On Mental Health, please click here.

RV Park Considerations and Open Space Preservation
We also voted unanimously in support of agenda item 9 on RV Park General Plan and Zoning Ordinance Amendments. Based on the 1994 RV Park Design Development RVs were allowed in General Use, Hillsides, Rural Residential, and Roadside Services zoning districts. However, under these zoning guidelines, the RVs were creating disastrous environmental impacts to local ecosystems and waterways. The adoption of the new RV ordinance will abolish the 1994 RV Guidelines and allow for RVs in only Roadside Services in compliance with State laws and regulations under the California Department of Housing and Community Development. 

We are hopeful this effort will be a positive change as this will give our neighbors who travel in or reside in RVs to have a designated location for their vehicles. This will ensure that they are able to access all of the resources that they need for their safety and wellness. Additionally, specific zoning areas for RVs ensures the protections of our natural and green areas and their ecosystems and waterways. This RV ordinance will provide our neighbors with what they need and keep our natural areas green. 

Expanding Black Infant Health and Prenatal Equity Initiative
In America, Black mothers and infants are at significantly greater risk of suffering from complications from birth compared to white mothers and infants. Our unanimous support for more funding will help us eliminate these racial disparities in our health care system to ensure that all of our residents are provided with the health and wellness resources that they need

Expanding this program will bring much needed resources and funds to ensure that our black mothers and infants receive quality care before, during and after birth. The County is looking to work with local community stakeholders to ensure that all of these mothers' and infants' needs are met.

Immigration Reform Update
The BOS also received an update from staff on federal immigration reform's impacts for Santa Clara County. While movement in Washington, D.C. is slow, I am thankful for staff and the community for preparing us for this.

We also closed the meeting in honor of Natalia Smüt Lopez. You can read more about her life in a recent San José Spotlight article.
AAPI Heritage Month
June's arrival is the closing of AAPI Heritage Month. Thank you to our friends and community partners for their participation and celebration throughout the month. Continuing to Stop AAPI Hate is a top priority for us, and we have created a compilation video from the events we have been honored to attend across Santa Clara County
Eritrea 30th Independence Day Event
On May 24, 2021, I was honored to continue the annual recognition of Eritrean Independence Day and the contributions of the Eritrean families of Santa Clara County. Click here to watch video from the event

HAPPY PRIDE 2021!
June is PRIDE Month and the D3 Team is excited to celebrate with the LGBTQ+ family of Santa Clara County! Throughout the month we will recognize and reflect on PRIDE, the challenges and sacrifices that got us, the advancements we have made, the champions of LGBTQ+ community, and our hopes for the future. Join us in celebrating PRIDE this month because LOVE WINS!

Upcoming Events & Items
We are joining community members in recognizing today, June 4, 2021, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day. We are also in the process of implementing a gun/arms and ammunition buyback program. Watch next Tuesday's BOS meeting to learn more

Our June BOS meetings will be heavily focused on the budget for FY 2021-2022, which we will spotlight in our next newsletter. Our next BOS meeting is on Tuesday, June, 8, 2021.

We will also be celebrating Philippine Independence Day on June 12 and Juneteenth and Vietnamese Armed Forces Day on June 19. Please follow us on social media for updates on these events and more.

Our friends at Bay Area Older Adults have two upcoming events on June 10 and a Virtual Joseph D Grant Watershed Walk on June 17.

Also, our friends at the San José Earthquakes are hosting a vaccination clinic on June 10. Click here for more details

In closing, we would like to thank the organizers for including us at several Memorial Day events earlier this week. The honorable recognition of those who gave all in their service was incredibly moving. We would like to share a video from the event with you and our Memorial Day message.

Thank you and please continue to stay safe. 

Warmest regards,


Supervisor Otto Lee
Santa Clara County District 3

Supervisor.Lee@bos.sccgov.org
SupervisorLee.org

Resource Links for Food, Housing and Financial Assistance:
SCCounty Small Business Loan Program
SCC Office of Supportive Housing (OSH)
Second Harvest Foodbank
2-1-1 Community Information, Food Assistance
COVID-19 Food and Financial Assistance
County News & Information Updates
Rental Relief/Support
The State’s CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program and the Homelessness Prevention System COVID-19 Response is here to help you or any of our neighbors struggle to pay their rent. Residents are encouraged apply through the proper access points. More information is available on a special dedicated County website: http://sccrenthelp.org/ and available countywide to call at the 2-1-1 phone number. These access points serve as a central referral point for residents to the proper rental assistance program. See included flyers for more information.
Follow us on social media for updates including no appointment needed clinics that are opening up across the county - please help us help each other and get vaccinated. Please click HERE for vaccine resources and to schedule your appointment -  available in English, Español中文Tiếng Việt & Tagalog.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, THANK YOU FOR GETTING VACCINATED!
Shared from our friends at the LGBTQ Youth Space, a special online event for youth interested in a career in tech. Click here for event link.
Our friends at the American Leadership Forum hosted a Bystander Intervention Training on April 24, 2021 - Click HERE or on the image for a video of the event.
You can also watch video of the Bystander Intervention Training that we cohosted with CAIR California, Assemblymember Alex Lee and members of the Santa Clara City Council. Click HERE or on the image for a video of the event.
Another program this summer is being sponsored by the Inner City Capital Connection - see included flyers or click here to learn more
READ PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS:
County Supervisor Otto Lee Website - SupervisorLee.org
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You may update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.