January 26, 2021

Dear Business Representatives,

On Monday, January 25, Governor Newsom lifted the Regional Stay-At-Home Order for the entire state due to a projected improvement in ICU capacities. While the Bay Area as a region sees increasing ICU capacity, Santa Clara County continues to experience a very high level of transmission and hospitalizations, and hospitals are still very much impacted at the local level.

Both Governor Newsom and Santa Clara County officials noted that the State’s decision to lift the Order reflects the lessening of a very dire peak, but now is not the time to relax. Everyone is encouraged to remain vigilant in practicing social distancing, wearing masks, and avoiding indoor gatherings with people outside their immediate household. Without the Regional Stay-At-Home Order, Santa Clara County now moves back to the colored tier system under the Blueprint for a Safer Economy in which the County is currently placed in the most restrictive Purple Tier. Please see below for allowed business activity under the Purple Tier and additional resources that may be helpful for small businesses.

The Mandatory Directive on Capacity Limitations provides guidance on the allowed types of business activity as follows:

• Outdoor dining: Allowed (see City of Milpitas Temporary Outdoor Dining Guidelines)

• Bars, breweries, and distilleries: Prohibited indoors; prohibited outdoors as well unless alcohol is served with a meal in the same transaction

• Hair salons and personal care services: Allowed indoors at 20% capacity (see modifications)

• Gyms and fitness centers: Allowed outdoors with modifications; indoor pools may operate at 20% capacity for drowning prevention instruction with certified instructors

• General retail including grocery stores: 20% indoor capacity (all businesses with indoor operations must establish a “metering system”)

• Indoor shopping malls: Allowed with reduced capacity (see Mandatory Directive)

• Sports: Professional and collegiate sports may resume without audiences (see Mandatory Directive for details); adult recreational sports are limited to those with no contact and conducted outdoors (see Mandatory Directive, Section 9); youth sports that are no-contact may resume outdoors subject to Mandatory Directive

• Lodging: Open only to essential workers and individuals in quarantine (see paragraph below); may not provide lodging services for non-essential purposes

• Indoor dining: Prohibited 

• Family entertainment centers (ex: movie theaters, bowling alleys): Prohibited indoors

• Cardrooms: Prohibited indoors

• Wineries: Prohibited indoors

• Museums: Prohibited indoors

• Places of worship: Prohibited indoors

Please also note that the County’s Mandatory Directive on Travel strongly discourages non-essential travel, and requires those who have traveled from more than 150 miles away to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival. Individuals needing to quarantine, as well as essential workers, are allowed to stay in local hotels. Also, outdoor gatherings are now allowed up to three households. And, all businesses (except acute care hospitals) must continue to keep their indoor workplace breakrooms closed to employees.

Applications for Round 2 of funding will open on Tuesday, February 2 at 8:00 am and will close at 6:00 pm on Monday, February 8. Any eligible applicants who did not receive an award for Round 1 do not need to re-apply as their application will automatically be rolled over for consideration in Round 2. More information about the grant program and application process can be found here.

• Applicants for Round 2 will be informed of grant approvals between

February 11-18

• Waitlist notices will be sent out by February 22

• Non-selection notices will be sent out by February 24. 

The Santa Clara County commercial eviction moratorium will expire on March 31, 2021. Small business tenants have up to 6 months after the moratorium expires or terminates to repay at least 50% of the past-due rent, and up to 12 months after the moratorium expires or terminates to repay in full the past-due rent. Small business representatives can view this page for eligibility requirements, necessary paperwork to show substantial loss of income or out-of-pocket for medical expenses due to COVID-19, and more information including FAQ’s.

The County of Santa Clara created a business engagement landing page on its COVID-19 website with valuable resources and information. Information can be found here or by calling the new COVID-19 Business Call Center at (408) 961-5500.

If you have any questions or need business assistance during COVID-19, please visit our website and do not hesitate to contact the Office of Economic Development team by sending an email. Assistance is available in English, Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and other languages. We will continue to send out pertinent updates as they are made available to keep you informed.

Economic Development Director

Phone: (408) 586-3046

Email: aandrade@ci.milpitas.ca.gov

455 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas CA 95035