Application forms and program materials are now available to provide relief to qualified businesses that underwent property damage and loss of inventory on May 31, 2020 through a small business assistance program, according to a press release from the City.
The Small Business Restart Grant Program (SBR Grant) is administered by the City’s Economic Development Department, and is available as part of the Rebuild Long Beach Relief Fund. The fund was approved by city council on June 16, 2020. Those who apply “may be eligible for up to $10,000 in SBR Grant Funding,” the press release stated.
“We promised to help every business who was vandalized or looted and needed assistance,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “The Rebuild Long Beach Relief Fund is designed to help businesses in need of financial support to recover.”
The SBR Grant funds may be used for the following:
• Replacing lost inventory
• Making repairs to the exterior or interior of a business
• Replacing lost equipment
• Repairing damaged equipment
• Paying business interruption insurance deductibles
• Working capital to continue operations
The grant program will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Those who want to apply will have to fill out a Business Damage Assessment Form. Once that has been completed, business operators will be given instructions on how to apply for the grant.
The amount of the award will be based on documentation presented by those applying that verifies the extent of damage sustained on May 31, 2020.
Business owners can call the Long Beach Business Hotline, 562.570.4BIZ (4249) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays with questions. In-person application assistance is available outdoors at the City Hall Plaza (411 W. Ocean Blvd.) from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and from noon to 4 p.m. on Thursdays through Sept. 29, 2020. No appointment is necessary, but to secure a one-hour appointment with language interpretation, applicants must email 4biz@longbeach.gov and include their time slot and language preferences.
How about helping landlords. We are going to lease our apartment buildings. We can’t even pay the utilities. They are going to be shit off soon enough. Can’t put for repairs….