City Council meetings have long been televised and streamed online. Now the council will talk about a fully virtual, remote meeting approach in light of the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo: Ceilidh Yurenka)

Homeless shelters, and no intrusion on tenants 

City Council, 5:30 p.m. Monday. Of course the calendar of public meetings this week is radically shrunken, and of course the council is focused on matters having to do with the local response to the coronavirus pandemic. In this meeting held remotely, councillors are looking at using vacant properties and hotels as emergency shelters for the homeless and making emergency appropriations for need-based financial relief to city businesses and organizations; asking brokers, landlords and real estate agents not to show apartments that already have occupants, because it puts them at risk when they’re trying to self-isolate; and setting up a coronavirus information hotline and portal for housebound seniors to communicate their needs. Councillors are also looking for a tech solution that will allow meetings to be completely virtual, and councillor Quinton Zondervan has additional ideas and suggestions. What else is going on? Well, the city manager has proposed rates for water consumption and sewer use for the year starting April 1. Televised.

General business only for the board

Planning Board, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The board meets remotely for general business matters, with all hearings scheduled for this date continued – and all other business scheduled for this date postponed until further notice. Televised.