BOS-Executive Office

The Building Management Division with the Executive Office (EO) of the Board of Supervisors, as proprietor of the Kenneth Hanh Hall of Administration (HOA), has undertaken the role of principal lead as the health and safety agent for building during the current health crisis.  The Division, in response to the initial COVID-19 developments, immediately placed Public Health available signage throughout the building and restrooms and engaged with Internal Services Department (ISD) to ensure an increase in cleaning of high-touch surfaces and response protocols for increase cleaning or COVID-19 response cleaning.

In preparation for repopulation of the HOA, social distancing floor decals, COVID-19 guideline posters and various signage were designed by EO Graphics, procured, and placed throughout the building along with providing materials to various tenant departments within the HOA .  In conjunction with ISD, a plan was developed for hand sanitizer stations to be placed strategically throughout the building in accessible common areas. The objective has been raising awareness for health and safety protocols without obstructing work productivity and performance of County personnel or those who conduct business at the HOA.

In April 2020, Tamara Hunter, Executive Director, Los Angeles County Commission for Children and Families, began serving as a manager with the Emergency Food Security Branch (EFSB).  The EFSB was established to address the overwhelming level of food insecurity in Los Angeles County that was either created or exacerbated by the pandemic.

The EFSB is a small, but mighty cross-departmental team, ranging from six to eleven members at any given time. Its purview is “all things food” in the County’s COVID-19 response, and as such, the EFSB wears many hats. EFSB convenes the cross-sector, public-private Food Security Task Force; helps to troubleshoot and mitigate systemic barriers to food security; builds bridges where needed; and, designs and implements programs to provide hunger relief to the most vulnerable among us. The EFSB, in partnership with the LA Regional Food Bank, coordinates and leads food distribution events across the County, serving thousands of residents in need. The EFSB is currently in the process of developing several programs that will utilize federal CARES Act funding to address food insecurity at the organizational and individual levels, in partnership with trusted community-based organizations. Though not yet complete, Tamara’s work with the EFSB has been a humbling and truly rewarding experience.

Since May, Lev Levon, Chief Board Services, has been working at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) leading efforts to house the homeless population in County and City contrachotels. His role involves components of the entire process, including budgeting, contract monitoring, coordinating, liaising, customer service, etc.  Lev’s primary role has been a Hotel/Motel Relations Coordinator working with managers and owners of hotels to ensure smooth services and roll out of operations.  However, one of the most rewarding components for him has been his involvement with the “welcome bags.”

He is part of a team that receives, creates, and personalizes functional and hygienic items in a “welcome bag” for new hotel housing participants. The items in these welcome kits, donated by nonprofits or generous individuals, include a wide spectrum of essentials like deodorant, soap, laundry detergent, protein bars, socks, activity books and more.  Being part of the team at LAHSA that physically carries out this effort from A to Z has made him feel the direct positive impact that essential workers from county departments are having on vulnerable populations during the pandemic.

The Sheraton Fairplex Hotel in Pomona was converted from a hotel to a medical sheltering site serving people experiencing homelessness and anyone who could not safely isolate or quarantine in their own home testing positive for COVID. Don and his team of DSWs were responsible for all logistical aspects of converting the Sheraton to a fully functioning emergency housing site. From housekeeping, meal service, janitorial, building maintenance, supply ordering and seeing to it that Centers for Disease Control guidelines were put in place to make sure the site was properly sanitized to eliminate the spread of the virus within the property. It was a pleasure and a privilege for Don working with such dedicated DSWs working on the COVID-19 front lines.