Since this is the Mountain View Voice, maybe it should be mentioned that the Mountain View library is closed effective today, not just the Palo Alto and San Mateo County libraries.

GIVEN that we have a NATIONAL state of emergency it looks like one situation might need to be addressed.

The SIGNIFCANT loss of EMPLOYMENT sure to occur or the simple inability for those with work not being able to have INCOME will require that other measures are going to be needed to protect the public.

England is in the course of invoking a “rent holiday” so that people are not required to pay their rent until the virus crisis is over.

That sounds logical but it also should apply to mortgages as well.

MAYBE we should get that established so that people can be safe in their current housing.

EVERYONES income is impacted by this event because just look at the losses in the stock market. Granted it looks better for the next couple of days, but the REAL problem is not yet under control, the VIRUS.

Thus the market is likely to start going down again shortly.

Given that the Nation, the State, the County, and the City have declared an emergency, it would only seem obvious that for the current time a HOUSING HOLIDAY be declared so that people will not lose their homes or apartments during this crisis.

Just thinking, otherwise the economic cost will explode even worse.

The San Jose City Council has on its March 17 agenda a proposed urgency ordinance outlawing evictions for nonpayment of rent by any tenant whose income has been "substantially" reduced because of the pandemic. Could be a Google executive renting a house for $10,000 per month while looking to buy houses with his $50 million in the bank. Rent holiday. And as to (small) businesses, San Jose politicians have a different proposal on Tuesday's agenda: help local businesses get loans to remain afloat. But you can shop online - including for hot food. We just need to change our ways. Congregations are for fools. And how about that virus. Did it come from bats or rats?

Gary I agree but for one issue.

Getting a loan means you are going to pay more than what you needed due to interest.

Why should a finance company make money off of victims of a possible serious economic crisis. These people are clearly not capable of being responsible for their situation, and interest is usually the cost of borrowing because you may have made some kind of poor judgment leaving you with a debt.

No this should be an example that that will not fly, it will just add to the severity of the next one coming down the river.

And the reason why I included mortgages is because many "apartment" or "home rentals" are bough on a mortgage, these people should not have to pay for the situation also, thus it might as well be universal.

And to make it means tested is just going to cost more for the economy as a whole because even the "well off" are going to pay a significant price.

And as far as delivery services for anything costs more than going to pick it up yourself, along with the possibility of more contamination.

No this is a very SERIOUS situation, and it requires a VERY SERIOUS response, one that probably has NEVER occurred before.

Simply put, the economic structure will collapse if this goes on for as short as more than another 30 days.

We have to look beyond the cash at this time. We have to put a pause on this model of transactions and simply establish a supply chain for all people to be able to survive this time.

This is the most serious threat to the WORLD than we can imagine at this time. I just heard the virus can survive as long as a week outside a host and still make you sick.

Just arranging so that all public spaces are disinfected every 24 hours will be an enormous cost, and this will need to be performed until the virus is under real control.

I guess the "bats or rats" question was greek to most folks who check posts on local stories. I was just watching a report from the Ebola virus outbreak 5 years ago on CNN. There are no current spectator sports to watch instead. Doctors and scientists were warning 5 years ago that outbreaks would continue to explode into pandemics without an investment in research, development and readiness. No one listened. Not then. Not now. And then there is the President. Three years into his term. Not his fault. Nothing ever is.

If the renter can’t pay the landowner, and the landowner can’t pay the bank, the bank, the banking system will fail and will need more bailouts. Evictions, defaults and foreclosures take time to develop. Courts are closing as well.