Mayor Webber Issues PROCLAMATION OF EMERGENCY X - COVID-19 July 12, 2021

Today Mayor Alan Webber signed "PROCLAMATION OF EMERGENCY X - COVID-19." The prior Proclamation IX expired at noon today. The new Proclamation takes into account CDC recommendations, State of New Mexico orders, guidelines, and current data regarding case numbers and vaccine distribution.

Read the Proclamation and the Emergency Orders issued pursuant to the Proclamation here.

The Proclamation states that while reopening steps are positive for the City’s economy, they also increase the risk of infection for unvaccinated persons.

While New Mexico leads the nation in percent decreases in COVID in the last 14 days, Santa Fe is a national and international tourist destination and neighboring states and countries of origin for tourists are hotspots in percent increases in cases. New variants of the COVID-19 virus, with higher infection rates, have continued to spread and the most infectious variants known are being transmitted in New Mexico. There has also been a spike in the acuity of behavioral health (substance use disorder and mental health) episodes.

Key elements of the Emergency Orders issued pursuant to the Proclamation are the following:

• Outdoors, facial coverings are no longer required for City employees or the public during direct provision of city services.
• Inside City facilities, facial coverings are required: for all members of the public at all times; for employees, City agents, and city contractors if they are unvaccinated and not in their own office, when inside the publicly accessible areas of City facilities.
• Local businesses and employers may still require facial coverings for clients, employees, and customers.
• Event planners are encouraged to seek vaccination and testing for performers, participants and vendors.
• The eviction and water shut-off moratoriums continue in order to provide additional time for eligible persons to obtain emergency relief funds and payment plans, and provides the following specific resources:

1. For renters, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program: https://www.renthelpnm.org/ ;
2. For homeowners, the State of New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority: https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/NEWMEXICOHOMEOWNERASSISTANCEFUND/Participant, 505-308-4206, 866-488-0498, or housingassistance@housingnm.org ;
3. The following organizations have resources to assist with utilities payments: Rent Help NM (linked above with rental assistance sources), Adelante Santa Fe Public Schools, Connect, St. Bede’s Episcopal Church, St. Vincent de Paul, The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Help New Mexico, San Isidro Catholic Church, Life Link, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Income Support Division, Salvation Army, Communities in Schools New Mexico, and Westminster Presbyterian Church; and
4. If utilities payments are overdue to the City, customers can set up a payment plan by calling Utility Billing’s main number 505-955-4333 and selecting option “2.”