South San Francisco, CA August 5, 2021 Press Release
South San Francisco’s City Hall and all City Buildings will officially reopen to the public after more than a year and a half of being closed to in-person services due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The residents and businesses of South San Francisco have been through extraordinary times this past year and a half, and they have done an incredible job of listening to our public health experts and following the guidance recommended to get us through Covid-19,” said South San Francisco Mayor Mark Addiego. “We’re not over this pandemic, but we are taking steps to get life back to normal.”
Throughout the pandemic, the City continued to provide essential services in-person, such as police and fire protection, public works operations and maintenance, building and permit inspections, and childcare programs. The City also adapted many services to provide them virtually, online and outdoors. As public health orders evolved over time, in-person recreation and library programs and services were offered as possible.
Here is a summary of what the public can expect:
- The City Clerk’s office is open to the public, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and is providing Notary and Passport Services by appointment only. Appointments can be scheduled here: https://www.ssf.net/
departments/city-clerk/ passport-services/schedule-an- appointment - City Council meetings will be conducted in a hybrid in-person/virtual format. The in-person meetings are held in the Council Chambers at 33 Arroyo Drive. The Council meeting schedule, agendas, and Zoom meeting details are available on the City’s website, www.ssf.net.
- City Hall is open to the public, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Economic and Community Development is conducting in-person services at both the City Hall (Housing) location and at the Permit Center at the City Hall Annex. Permit center hours are Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. We’ve also added online e-visit bookings: Book an e-visit with a Planner
- The public is encouraged to use these convenient links in advance, in order to prepare for, and make your in-person visit go more efficiently:
- Permit Center: https://www.ssf.net/
departments/economic- community-development/permit- center - Housing: https://www.ssf.net/
departments/economic- community-development/permit- center - Local Business Recovery Resources: https://www.ssf.net/
departments/economic- community-development/permit- center - Fire Administration is open to the public, Mondays – Fridays, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. In addition, CPR classes for the public will resume, as well as scheduled station visits
- Main and Grand Libraries have reinstated all of their open, public service hours. Please visit the website at www.ssf.net/library for their hours and locations. Computers are available at both libraries; the Community Learning Center computers are reserved via telephone appointments. In the upcoming months, in-library programs, such as the very popular children’s storytimes, will be reinstated.
- Parks and Recreation’s front desk at the Municipal Services Building and other Recreation Division sites are open Mondays – Fridays, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., to support in-person registration for recreation programs. Parks and Facilities Maintenance Division public counters are open from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. In-person classes, sports, aquatics, seniors and childcare programs, events, and picnic and facility rentals are ongoing. For more information on our program offerings, visit www.ssf.net/rec.
- The Police Department’s front lobby is open to the public for counter reports with officers starting Monday, August 2nd Monday – Friday, from 7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Face masks are required in South San Francisco City facilities, whether a person is vaccinated or not. As case rates rise and the highly transmissible Delta variant is increasingly prevalent, health officers around the Bay Area have recommended that everyone wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status. The Delta variant, which is more contagious and spreads more easily and quickly than other variants, has become the dominant strain in California and is now responsible for more than 80 percent of cases nationwide.
The San Mateo County Health Department encourages all those eligible to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Anyone age 12 and older can get vaccinated for free in San Mateo County. Vaccines are widely available at health care providers as well as certain pharmacies and other locations.
The City of South San Francisco is hosting a free vaccination event on Friday, August 20 from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Martin Elementary School (Hillside & Belmont Avenue). Or to find a vaccine site near you, go to County Health’s vaccination calendar. The state’s MyTurn site also provides information about local vaccine clinics, including those at pharmacies and grocery stores. Appointments are optional. Go to https://myturn.ca.gov for more information.
“We are excited about reopening City facilities, yet cautious in our approach to keep the public safe,” said Mayor Mark Addiego, “and as long as we continue to take common-sense health safety precautions we can accomplish the twin-goals of returning to normal operations while avoiding COVID-19.