Sacramento Plans $1 Million Emergency Economic Relief Fund Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Source: Sacramento Business Journal, Felicia Alvarez
Photo: Sacramento City Hall (Dennis McCoy)

The city of Sacramento is proposing new emergency measures to help businesses through slowdowns due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

City leaders announced a $1 million economic relief package for small businesses, such as restaurants, retail and day care providers struggling amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Those dollars will include zero-interest loans up to $25,000 based on demonstrated need.

Mayor Darrell Steinberg announced the relief package in a news conference Thursday. He declined to comment on how eligibility will be determined and when the funds could be made available. The city plans to develop a “small business hotline” to gauge need.

The proposal also includes an emergency declaration to help businesses and residents process insurance claims, including claims for restaurants or theaters that have lost patrons. The declaration would also be aimed at prohibiting evictions of renters economically disadvantaged by the virus outbreak.

The mayor urged locals to continue supporting local businesses despite the outbreak.

“Please go to restaurants if you can, and if you can’t there’s always DoorDash or takeout,” Steinberg said.

Free metered parking Downtown after 4:30 p.m. is also included in the measure. The parking schedule is similar to summer hours when the city loosens its metered parking to encourage visitors Downtown.

The emergency measures also call for the cancellation of all special event permits in the city of Sacramento with more than 250 people. The city will also evaluate other permits for smaller events on a “case by case” basis, Steinberg said. Permit fees will be returned to all of the applicants, he said.

The event cancellations follow Gov. Gavin Newsom’s sweeping recommendation that all events over 250 attendees be canceled across the state. Newsom announced the recommendations late Wednesday evening.

The Sacramento City Council will vote on the package of emergency measures Friday afternoon.

Between the recent cancellation of events at Golden 1 Center and general advice for “social distancing,” Downtown businesses are concerned about what lies ahead, said Michael Ault, CEO of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

“We are worried it may be at the expense of the businesses being able to survive it,” Ault told the Business Journal.

https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2020/03/12/sacramento-plans-1-million-emergency-economic