City of South Lake Tahoe declares local emergency

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The City of South Lake Tahoe has this morning declared a local emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and is taking extra precautions to keep the public and our employees safe during this time.

The local emergency proclamation means we can provide or receive mutual aid from other jurisdictions and helps us secure resources, funding and staffing. In accordance with Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N28-20, the local emergency proclamation also includes a moratorium on some residential evictions until the
end of the local emergency or May 31, 2020, whichever is earlier. This moratorium is intended to help those tenants who have lost income or incurred medical costs because of COVID-19 from being evicted if they are not able to pay rent during this local emergency.

“This is a time for action to help our residents and ensure we can work closely with partners around the basin,” said Mayor Jason Collin. “This emergency declaration is just one step. City staff and City Council have worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of our community during this crisis. That work will not stop.”

Most in-person services are suspended but employees are available through telephone and email. All city offices are prepared to have employees whose job duties allow work from home, and in fact some already are.

Essential services, Police, Fire, Public Works, will not be suspended.

“Public safety and employee safety are our top priorities, but we also understand how important it is to continue to provide the essential services that also ensure safety,” said Interim City Manager Brad Kilger, “Our goal is to help South Lake Tahoe weather this crisis and we know this community will do just that.”

The City is encouraging people to stay home if at all possible. We are also encouraging visitors who are considering vacationing in Tahoe to put those plans on hold for the foreseeable future.

“We love our visitors, but for the health of this community we need to ask people to hit pause on their vacations and their day trips,” said Collin, “We will weather this storm but now is the time for everyone to stay home and stay safe.”

For more information on COVID-19 and California's response visit the California Department of Public Health's website.