The city will provide $28.5 million to support the city’s Latino community, which has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced Thursday.
The increased support, from both public and private funding, comes as the city has been working with organizations like the Latino Task Force and the Latino Parity and Equity Coalition to find ways to reduce the high number of cases.
Currently, Latinos account for 50.2 percent of all city cases, despite only making up 15 percent of the population. The city’s health officials, as well as community organizations, have acknowledged that Latinos are more at risk to getting infected, as many work as essential employees and also may live in small apartments, in multigenerational households.
Statewide, Latinos account for 38.9 percent of the population, but makeup more than 60 percent of COVID-19 cases.
“Our Latino community has borne the brunt of the COVID pandemic not just here in San Francisco, but across the country,” Breed said in a statement. “While we have provided support for food access and financial assistance, it hasn’t been enough.
Latino Task Force Coordinator Valerie Tulier-Laiwa said, “These COVID response resources will be used directly to serve the thousands of people standing in the Mission Food Hub line and those seeking family relief and numerous other services at the Latino Task Force Resource Hub.
The resources will also support a culturally appropriate and community-delivered approach at the LTF Testing Hub.