Letter to business leaders from City Manager Eric Levitt
Published on April 24, 2020
April 24, 2020
Good afternoon Alameda business leaders,
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty in our community with regards to health, jobs, the economy, and what the new normal will look like in the future. For our small businesses, the shelter-in-place order has been devastating. At its meeting Tuesday night, the City Council passed several emergency business relief measures that we hope will start to pave the road to recovery for our small businesses and restaurants.
Small Business Relief Grants Program
We are offering emergency grants up to $7,500 to retailers, restaurants, and other small businesses located in the City of Alameda. We will post an application and eligibility requirements online by close of business Monday, April 27, at www.alamedastrong.org.
Deferred Tax and Fee Payments
Business license and business improvement area fees are deferred for 60 days, from July 1 to September 1, 2020. The City’s transient occupancy tax is also deferred for 60 days, for the months of March, April, and May 2020.
Emergency Zoning Changes
We are extending business hours for food related services to 2am and making curbside pickup easier. Businesses can now sell to-go alcoholic beverages, food, and other essential goods. Please contact the Planning, Building, and Transportation Department at permits@alamedaca.gov for information on implementing these changes.
Federal Small Business Relief
Yesterday, we were excited to read the news that the House passed a new $484 billion bipartisan spending package. This is the fourth stimulus package during the COVID-19 pandemic and brings total federal relief to almost $3 trillion.
This package includes $310 billion to replenish the Paycheck Protection Program which was previously exhausted within two weeks of applications opening and $60 billion in small business emergency loans.
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provides federally guaranteed, forgivable loans of up to $10 million to small businesses. Loans will be forgiven if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.
Funding is on a first-come, first-serve basis, and the Small Business Administration will resume accepting PPP loan applications on Monday, April 27, from approved lenders on behalf of any eligible borrower. We encourage you to work with your local financial institution to prepare your application. Click here for a list of local banks that are processing applications for both existing and new customers.
Read more about the PPP here and download a FAQ here.
Additional Resources
The City published an online list of restaurants that are open for take-out and delivery and an online list of essential businesses and their special hours. If you see something that needs to be added or edited, please email econdev@alamedaca.gov.
For more information about the City’s response to COVID-19 and additional resources, please visit www.alamedastrong.org.
Thank you again for all you are doing. We know it is a lot, and we know it is not easy. Our small businesses define Alameda and we will continue to work to find ways to offer assistance. If you have ideas or needs, please reach out to our Economic Development team or to me personally.
With gratitude,
Eric Levitt
City Manager