TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to establish a Rebuild Long Beach Relief Fund to assist Long Beach small businesses with repair and loss recovery from damages sustained during the evening of May 31, 2020; public funding shall be allocated in a way that maximizes benefits paid to businesses, and to partner with private programs.
DISCUSSION
Our community is stronger today because of investments made by small retail business owners,
restaurant owners, and the creativity and culture within the people of Long Beach.
On May 31, 2020, after nearly three months of closures due to COVID-19, the Governor
announced Los Angeles County, including Long Beach, would be allowed to slowly begin
reopening restaurants, hair salons and barber shops, as well as other retail locations with physical
distancing and sanitation protocols in place. Many Long Beach businesses had been preparing
— investing in materials and supplies to support the new COVID-19 business protocols, stocking
up on goods, food and other supplies, and all were looking forward to reconnecting with their
customers and the Long Beach community safely.
Peaceful protests began in Long Beach on May 31 due to the killing of George Floyd and to
address systemic racism and equity. In addition to peaceful protests, Long Beach also
experienced serious vandalism and looting after peaceful protests.
The Rebuild Long Beach Relief Program can be a combination of the following resources to assist
small businesses who were affected by damage from civil unrest:
• Grants: Immediate access to grants to replace lost inventory, make repairs to the interior
of a business, replace lost equipment, repair damaged equipment, pay business interruption insurance deductibles, repair the façade of a storefront, working capital to
continue operations.
• Loans: Access to affordable, low-interest, no-fee loans that provide a grace period before
repayment is required to allow small businesses to restart and rebuild revenues before...
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