tonight on kqed newsroom. hastaurants struggling to on during the coronavirus crisis, now face a new obstacle to getting financial relief . plus, we will talk with religious leaders about the challenges anessings of leading their communities through this unprecedented time. good evening. and welcome to kqed newsroom. i am priya david clements. we begin tonight with a look at the devastating impact ruthe coronahas had on small businesses such as restaurants here in the bay area and beyond. this week, the san francisco board of supervisors passed a resolution saying that covid-19 results in property loss or damage, and poses a danger to the public.

the resolution is intended to bu help small nesses, such as restaurants, which have been hit pecially hard bye pandemic. restaurants like cassava in san francisco can stay open by shifting to take-out or delivery service only. many of them have applied for federal or city funds to survive the crisis. but now, some arfacing a new hurdle. insurance companies who say the coronavirus has not caused direct physical loss or damage to the . business proper joining me now is you, you roy, general manager of cassava. you can, thank you much for being with me tonight. i understand you and your husband run cassava together. tell me about the restaurant. >> yes. k hi, thu for having us. we have been on - street in mo outer ri, san francisco since 2012. we serve the california, modern california cuisine. currently, we have been servin more comfort food. frprd chicken, salmon, e rib, that type of stuff. what we are seeing is at people - holiday food.

everybody wants comfort. so, that is what we are doing currently right now. >> reporter: you are doing it unless take-out. how has the coronavirus impacted your business? >> yes. as everyoneknows, the ning businesses shut down. the resulted in 30-40% revenue loss in our restaurant, of the restaurant currently. >> reporter: what does that mean to you? have you been able to keep your employees? >> yes. so, we have 18 staff currently. we have not had to lay off anyone. that's great. but, everybois working on reduced hours. also, the tips are lower. so, everybody is taking a little bit of a pay cut, and i am doing everything i can to just supplent that in ways, with - family campaign in the beginning. $14,000 so far. by the time the $12,000 came, we were able to split it among e staff and everybody got a few hundred dollars, essential,

because the unemployment money is not re at al >> reporter: is that surprising to you? >> given the volume, understand it. but, i advised all of our staff to apply it for this earlier, te before the shin place order came. everybody started like on the friday before. the order came on tuesday. and then, some of us received the, you awknow, the d, the letter, but have not seen the debit card. so, my heart really aches for all these opyou know, , especially in our industry. that applied and nothing is here. half of our stuff, the ha employer to receive letters saying hey, there have been claims filed. i have only got that notification for have our staff. >> reporter: it sounds like you are stl working to at process. but, i want to turn specifically to your insurance situation. business has been interrupted. it has not been as usual. you have not been able to have

people come in and dine in the restaurant. and, you filed a business insurance claim with your company. >> yes. >> tell us about that process. d the result. >> our insurance carrier is hartford. and the business owners policy package, there is a process as busineterruption. so, i originally went on to the hartford's website and filed a claim. any car accident or something like that. i did not get the claim number right away. i wanted make surei had that, so, i called and got it. and the claim adjuster contacted metwo days later, and essentially denied, based, reasons, this disaster is not causing any ysical damage. - fire or flood. >> reporter: what was your reaction? >> surprise and annoyed.

you know. we spent, what? $18,000 or so per year on insurance. it is really expensive for restaurants. you know, there are a lot of hazards, like the way they run h the policy, think, so, yeah. $18,000 for like last few years. and nothing, yoknow. a force thatis beyond our d by powers. i feel like that is what this product is designed for. you know? i feel like you have to keep your word. mes in when the relief loan money comes in, what are you going to be using it for? >> i have not paid pg&e for two months bause they said - our landlord cut the rent in half for us. all of my debt serving is on hold. so, those definitely. all of our staff are paid and i am using their sick hours little by little.

we were not qualified for the sick pay advance by e city. so, while these guys can't stay ho, you know, they are being paid. >> reporter: how important is e this insuraclaim money in particular? >> given the circumstances, we are still standing. all of our staff is here. but, i mean, we never know how longllthis disaster last. you know, the dining that we know of so far, it will ver be the same. so, even when we are able to you know, what kind of traffic we will get, right? now, now we get to go orders and we figured out how that wo s. but, nothing rever, you know? any cash reserve that i could hold onto to keep the pls.e open it is very important. >> rerter: there is a lot of uncertainty right now. thank you so muin for jo us.

best of luck. >> thank you. hartford, the insurance company which denied uka's claim said they don't comment on specific claims. know what they tell us how many other similar claims citing 19v they have reed, or whether they have denied or improve hartford referred us instead to the american property-casualty insurance association, a national trade organization for home, auto and business insurers. the association told us that the estimated loss to small businesseswith more than 100 employees could be between 255 - $431 billion per month due to the coronavirus pandemic. th they also said e losses are 43-72 times higher than the monthly commercial property insurance premiums. and that "pandemic out rakes are uninsured cause they are uninsurable. all of this according to ap cia president and ceo, david a sampson. joining me now is lori thomas. san francisco restaurant owner

and the executive director of the golden gate restaurant lori, thank you much for joining me. thank you for having me. how do you respond to the insurance industry saying they can't affo pay out these claims? >> i don't think anybody can afford anything right now. i think we are all in a period of extreme financial stress. and whatwe woullike to do is take a ok at seeing where obligations that have been paid for, in terms of premiums for and other business owners can be satisfied when we file the claims. we are just asking for financial resources that we ask vector to be avlable for us. >> reporter: do you know of a single restaurant in the san fransco area, or with the golden gaas restaurant ciation membership, whose claims have been approved? >> no. and i have asked around. but i have asked around and nobody has received any claims. many have been denied, in ct. we knwhy. we have been hearing why that is. we'll talk more about that. but unfortunately, no.

>> let's get into that. why are they being denied? >> well, there are multiple types of coverages on liability insu nce policies. this is what we'r about. specifically, liability insurance. some of those coverages, specifically exclude virus. so, that would a veclear denial. but, there are other coverages which i felt like have - which are standard business interruption that would kick in for 18 months should there be some sort of a business interruption that was not planned. this clearly falls rtinto. unately, some of those coverages list that you have to have a physical destruction to pay out the policy. so, that is the next tier. and th the tearthat i would really like to see the company's payout on immediately is the civil authority disruptionys it clearly if there is a civil authority that is preventing you from access to

your business, that you should have, in this case, in my pocy for example, throug farmers insurance, it pays out 3 weeks of business interruption. and, the problem is again, that reference nein the print of the coverage, that there has to be a physical destruction so physical prevention from you accessing the business. >> this is where you are hoping that city, state, maybe federal leaders can step in. this week, the city offrsan cisco took that stuff and said that covid-19 poses a danger, and that it can stick the surfaces. and this is an attempt tovery much shore up your argument that the insurance companies should be able to pay out. what can state and federal lawmakers to to help resolve this issue? >> so, then it becomes more complicated, right? what we wanted to do in san francisco is, we are trying to set the lead for the rest of the country, where we, we are doing what we think is right owners. iness to and that is to say, yes, this is a physical destruction. we cannot touch the surfaces.

it e transfer. so, mayor breed has gone ahead and that i think has been added declaration provision already. and then, the thought is that we would work with the state commissioner to try m,to get and i know he is aware of the situation, to put pressure on the insurance companies to t fulfill at lethe obvious parts of the policy coverage. certainly for civil authority. and then it would goto the federal level. >> reporter: and we did talk with the state insurance commissioner's office as well. the said they are tremely concerned about the coverage gaps. he has also asked insurance companies to provide data on commerciup business inteon related to covid- 19. so, behave you involved in this personally? have you filed your own claim at this point? and how are your staurants doing? >> my restaurants, unfortunately, close. they are too small neighborhood restaurants. they are dying in. it did not ma sense for us financially to do the delivery. although i don't know if you have seen, but today we just

annoced ththe city of san francisco is capping the delivery fees for the restaurant commissions at 50%. fothe duration of this emergency declaration, which will be super helpful in helping restaurants stay open. who are doing delivery only. that is amazing. my restaurants are closed. today would be the three-week period that that business interruption policy would cover. the specific civil authority one. i put in the claim day. obviously, there is going to be a weight period. everybody is backed up, and then we will thgo to process. i am hoping in the interim that we can see some progress at the state level. ow i don't how this will be addressed at the federal level. i think like everything else, we needsome feral relief, i would imagine, for the insurance companies to fulfill the claims if it were to be brought in and be accepted. >> reporter: is theranything hopeful you are hearing from staurant owners duringis time? perhaps about customer support, or changes they have been able to make to adjust to this new reality? >> so, everybody is - support

from their customers. there's a lot of gofundme campaigns designed to get money back into hands of our workers who are going really well. it is encouraging. people are working to help open restaurants - medical workers, first responders and homebound seniors. there was a lot of really - trying to do dethe very. and then today, we just announced that the city is going to be tapping the delivery fees on that the app companies for this period of emergencies as well, which will certainly help restaurants offering delivery. >> reporter: lori thomas with the golden gate restaura association. thank you so much for joining us today. ng in there. thank you so much for having us. as millions of americans stay at ofhome, houses worship are no longer places that people can gather for support and affirmation. so, religious ornizations ve had to adapt. conducting services online to keep thr followers safe. yet

spiritually connected. it is also a time to reflect on and reimliine traditional s holidays, like passover, easter, and ramadan, which are all taking place this month. joining meypnow by is rabbi sidney mintz from congregation of a manual in san francisco. rabbi, thank you for joining reporter: thank you so much for having me, priya. you have been with temple emanuel for about 20deyears. ribe your congregation to us. tell us how this crisis has impacted them. >> the conggation is bounded by the gold rushin the 1850s. and, as a 170-year-old congregation with membership of 2100 families. abt 500 people. and the shelter in place and the crisis is be g felt inour community has impacted everyone from people who are our elders, all the way to children who are now being born. >> and, you have made the transition to online serves. how hathat been received? >> the first service that we

did was march 14. a month ago. and, we live streamed it from inside the empty sanctuary, and friday night, wewould usually have 200 or so people. the first service, 300-400 at the second service. we have 5000 people join us at first frsoay night. there seems to be a deep need for spiritual seekers, for people who are feeling isolated and tremenusly need communit more than ever today. >> what is the experiyoce like for and your congregants, to not be able to come together in person? >> is a very big challenge for people of all faiths who are used to really being together, face-to-face, holding hands, hugging and kissing. just like any family does. any community does so, it has presented its challenges and is the second day of passover right now in the jewish faith. ke any other faith, muramadan for ims, or for easter, that is coming up for christians, people want to be together. so, it has really been challenge. we had a virtual seder last

night. we are having people come services at eight 30. fore they are gointo be joined ere together on zune and then come útogether for the service, eating ritual foods on theit own. trying to celebrate, and in some way feel some joy at the traditions have to offer. >> you find that perhaps your cl ing people who may not have come to a traditional seder? are the new people who e being attracted? >> there certainly are people who are seekers, who haveownot up physically in the building before, who are availing themselves right now of our services that are live streamed or asses or the passover seder. special people so far away from the families, or our living alone. there seems to be much more ns a of need around creating community even virtually. >> reporter: have you had conversations with other religious leaders,perhaps from other faiths about how they are handling this time? >> yes. we have been in contact, not

only with the rabbis and cantors all over the bay area, but with the interfaith council, and with our partr organizations that are helping to serve people o are especially vulnerable at this time. rabbis all over the country, to talk about how we can support one another. because for someorganizations, it is been a real struggle to been online and access people virtually, and that has been very, very helpful anit has created a lot of solace for people who were trying to create a sense of spiritual sanctity d community when is now two dimensional. >> it is not easy to have a virtual seder. there are other events in seymour difficult to transition to the online world. how are you dealing with time sensitive lifecycle events? i am talking about births, about death, about coming into age ceremonies. perhaps a marriage or a wedding can be postponed a littleoubit, al people may not want to do that. that is a possibility, at least. very time sensitive. >> you're absolutely right,

priya. nobody wants to postpone their joy. ce and weainly also want to offer people any opportunity we can. so, we have a virtual bris's alady where the rabbis on the screen and - for the person who does ritual circumcision is there for the family and the baby. we have not done a virtua wedding at. but that is also a possibility. we have had virtual bar and that mitzvah ceremonies. with all of the restrictions that are literally moving and changing each day, we are having to bury people alone, without family members, even at the gravesite. >> as a rabbi, you often hear the real story of how people are doing. what are the members of your congregation telling you about their experience, and the feelings they are going to at this point? >> we think that on the one hand, peope feeling severe xi y. some depression, sadness, loneliness, wanted to reach out even more. and, having a sense of real

uncertaint and wanting to be able to cling to their faith, and knowing their community is there for them. on the other hand, priya, i have to say, even more so, there has been outpouring of people who have called and said what can i do? to serve. like a moment for me am out of work, but i have a car. can i go grocery shopping? can i show up and six feet away drop something off? we have a congregational family that is making hundreds of haulers, except not this week. i don't know if they are making matzoh this week t they have been making hundreds of haulers and actually having a contra of people driving them all ciover th, dropping them off and walking six feet away, texting and just seeing each other's faces even from aysix feet if you are alone in your home, that is joy for people. r you to be a spiritual li leader and advisor during this time? >> it has stretched all of our reserves. for mepersonally, being in a family with some kids who are home, some kids are not. it feels like i need different types of sanctuary. although i aminside most

the time, i make sure every sunday that i go outside, and i have a session with my gorgeous redwood tree in e backyard, where i sit and i feel my own breath and i feel the breath of d, i get tapped into the rhythms of nature. and i think all of us either, if yousaw the incredible full moon the other night, we were able to go out and see that spring is actuly happening. ths given me a lot of solace. in indition to beable to just talk to and see the people in my community. >> thank you so much karen i sydney vance. thank you for being with us today. >> thank you so much and happy passover. i extend a wawelcome to people of all faiths and ú thank you. her. >> deliveng sermons in house of worship emptier parishioners can be a challenge for religious leaders accustomed to communion with thjocongregation. ing me now to discuss this is vanessa southern, the senior meeting minister at the first unitarian society of san francisco. thanks for being uswith >> thank you, priya. thank you for having me on. >> what has it been like for you to be continuing to preach

every week. but, to empty pews, and have your coregation watch you online? >> it is strange. i mean, we have been lucky in that we had live streaming for r a so, we got over that technical congregations are scrambling to keep how to keep connected through worship at this time. but that was easy for us. it's not bad. i'm used to the camera being to the side. really adjust being moveabout those who are present in worship. now, the camera is front and center and i am speaki through it and imagining all of my people. there, and connecting to them through it. it is very different.wa worship is collective. it is about us together. there is laughter there. you can see what people are struggling. and now, it just me and the worship leaders. it is totally different. >> can you describe your church anthe congregants tous? >> yeah, the congregation has been around since 1850s. so, very early in california's history, one of our first

who is partly are largely responsible for making california freestate. that was central to his ministry. so, huge connection to the civic values and the issues of the time. that has been part of her life forever. and we are a wide range of people om a widerange of backgrounds and still very connected to the city. >> you are involved in services during the week, but also other grasps, i am ming through the week to mark >> normally. we would have lots of things. our center has 2000-3000 people use it. not just church members. er all dit kinds of groups. community groups. the activists, aa groups. but now, all of that is put to a halt. so, we toare trying experiment with different ways to get connected to our members and different ways to offer people to connect to eaother. but this is all new. we have not needed to do this

very much in the past. >> yeah. you are learning your way through. atthe beginning, yostarted by trying social justice he. you do not close your doors. you kept peopat least i'm six feet apart. and some churches have decided to continue to meet in person, frdespite warnings health officials. what do you feel you give up and you lose by not meeting oni pe >> for a lot of our people, being church is one of their major places of connecting to other people. to know them another name d give tha hug. so that is a huge loss. it is a huge loss r all of us. particularly for some pele, we are worried about. because they are ve much a arn. there home one. there is no onthere with them. so, we lose that. and, we lose that connection to each other. having said that, right now, that connection is a dangerous thing. and what love oks like in action right now is to stay apart. and that is really hard to when really lovelooks so often like holding hands and giving each other a hug at service.

>> absolutely. and you certainly have been talking with your members ring this time. what are the issues and concerns that are coming to the top fothem? >> so, we are lucky right now. in our congregation, and maybe in the bay area, veat we been able to bend at the curb. a big concern initially was who and we have had relatively few. grateful for cothat. our ern right now is trying to figure out who is vulnerable. so, who is alone? who is immunocompcamised and go out? it was elderly and should not go out? and how many things separate them from danger? if they onhave one neighbor or friend who is bringing them groceries, we need to know that. there was someone who suffers from anxiety or depression, we need to kn that, sowe can keep track of people and catch them if something happens or goes wrong in the safety net. >> that is a big concern. >> it sounds like the times are certainly shaping the messages you share, which i am sure ey do at all times. are you finding yourself úringing new material to your

parishioners? yo do you find self having new lessons that you have isarned? through time? >> yeah. it feels like, like with everything else for all of us, there is no planning. and we are just doing deep lihaening. every weekbeen so different. we have had denial, and we have had ief, and we have had anxivey and we fear and we have impatience. so, every week i feel like we are doing deep listening about, where are wenow as a community? and what do we need to hear? need to respto and worship e to give people a handhold through that week? and it is week to week. and the hope is that doing all the struggling together thugh all the suffering, that maybe we get what we always get out of these times. those dual pieces that come outn of suffering the struggle to face it head on, which is wisdom and compassion. and my hope is that in all us staying together through this and responding in the moment to what is coming up that we ca do thwith greater wisdom and great compassion.

that would not make this all work while at all. this is a horrible chapter in our lives together. but it would be something we could take away, to carr. with >> and this sunday would typically be a day where your halls would be packed. it is easter. has the easter story brought you a w comfort thholiday season? >> a new challenge, i would actually say. for me. it is so much a story about resurrection and rebirth. right now, it feels almost like we are more in holy week times, where we are journeying, fficult journey, where we know loss is going to be a part of it. easter. are not yet for me, will not let not yet there. >> reverend, where do you find en so many are looking to you to provide it for them? >> i think i find it where we are all finding it. in the healthcare workers and the essential workers who are keeping all of us fe and

taking care of us. i think i find it in the extraordinary auty of the world, and the things that we have right now and all of our courage and staying home and mb reducing the of losses at this time. >> vanessa seven, thank you so much for being wi us. >> thank you. as always, you can find more of our coverage at kqed.org /kqed newsroom. i am priya daviclements. you can reach me through my soda my social media handle, priya d clements. thank you for joininus. stay safe.

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