COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 Preventative Action

Dear SODO Business Owners -

Since we last emailed you on Tuesday, there have been several changes to how our city, county, state, and country deals with the impacts of the COVID-19 virus. Over the next days, weeks, and potentially months, we will be monitoring the spread and work hard to keep you all in the loop with the most up-to-date information and provide resources to assist your businesses, employees, customers, and families.

Again, here is an informational flyer designed to be posted on the front door of your business. The purpose of the flyer is to communicate with customers that your business is taking extra precautions in light of concerns of the spread of COVID-19/Coronavirus.

While the flyer is by no means an endorsement that conditions are inherently safe, it serves the purpose of communicating to customers and employees that your business is taking extra precautionary measures to help ensure it is doing its part to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The SODO BIA is working with the City of Seattle and other agencies to assist in sharing information and offering as much support as possible. We will be back in touch with more information and please let us know how we might best support you.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here for any issues you may come across!

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns, please contact me at [email protected]

Mayor Durkan Announces Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light Will Keep Utilities on During COVID-19 Civil Emergency in Seattle

Seattle (March 10, 2020) – Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced that Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and Seattle City Light (SCL) will keep utility services on during the COVID-19 Civil Emergency in Seattle. This will provide immediate utility relief for customers, both residential and commercial, financially impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Effective immediately, all SPU and SCL customers can set up deferred payment plans if their financial stability has been jeopardized by COVID-19. Utility service will stay on as their deferred payment plans are developed and implemented.

In addition to encouraging customers to set up payment plans, SPU and SCL have created a Utility Discount Program (UDP) self-certification form for income-eligible customers. This allows income-eligible residential customers to access heavily discounted utilities by simply signing a short form that attests to their household income, rather than having to provide income documentation. This will provide immediate and lasting utility bill relief for customers who are unemployed or underemployed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Read Mayor Durkan's Full Press Release Here

King County Public Health Provides Guidelines for Gatherings of 250 People or Less

In addition to Governor Jay Inslee’s Proclamation that prohibits large gatherings of more than 250 people, Public Health—Seattle & King County is also issuing a Health Officer order to minimize the health impacts of COVID-19.

Under an order from Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin, Public Health prohibits large gatherings of more than 250 people. In addition, the local order is prohibiting events of less than 250 people, unless measures are taken by event organizers to minimize risk. Further guidance for schools will be issued later today, to support them as they prepare for the increasing possibility of prolonged mandatory closures.

Both the Governor’s proclamation and the Public Health order were issued March 11, 2020, effective immediately.

Click Here for More Information

Resources for Businesses and Workers Impacted by COVID-19

Washington State's Department of Commerce's website with resources for businesses

Employment Security Department's website with resources for businesses and workers

Washington State's Department of Labor and Industries' website with resources

Governor Inslee's Resource List

Other Coronavirus information

Questions on Coronavirus

https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus

King County Coronavirus updates

https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/communicable-diseases.aspx

Seattle Public Schools update

https://www.seattleschools.org/district/calendars/news/what_s_new/coronavirus_update/faq

How to talk to kids about Coronavirus

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/coronavirus-how-talk-child.html

Resources for basic needs

Food Support

https://www.northwestharvest.org/sodo

http://www.rvfb.org/

http://www.seattlefoodcommittee.org/food-bank-map/

Seattle Public School will offer free meals starting March 16 ^th . For more information please visit their website here:

https://www.seattleschools.org/district/calendars/news/what_s_new/coronavirus_update

Rent Support

https://www.seattlehousing.org/supportive-services/resources/rent-assistance

https://byrdbarrplace.org/programs-services/housing-assistance/

https://www.solid-ground.org/

Gas Support

https://ccsww.org/get-help/shelter-homeless-services/emergency-assistance/

Small Business Stabilization Fund

2020 Emergency Fund for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

Overview

To mitigate barriers to capital for Seattle's most vulnerable businesses, the City of Seattle will commit approximately $1.5 million in one-time Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the Small Business Stabilization Fund, an emergency fund that provides working capital grants in amounts up to $10,000 to qualifying small businesses. The following is the investment criteria for financial support:

Criteria

The business owner must have a low- or moderate-income (≤80% of the Area Median Income).
The business must have five employees or less.
The business must have a physical establishment.
The business must have experienced a loss of income due to COVID-19.

You may qualify for a grant of up to $10,000.

Our outreach targets small businesses with low income owners located in neighborhoods at high risk for displacement.

Grants may be used to cover the day-to-day operating expenses of the business, such as payroll or losses due to destabilizing events.

Apply here

If you prefer a paper copy please email [email protected] or 206-684-8090.

Questions? Please email Yonas Seifu, Small Business Advocate, at [email protected] or 206-733-9743.

Webinar on US Small Business Adminstration to Provide Small Businesses Impacted by Coronavirus (COVID-19) Up to $2 Million in Disaster Assistance Loans

The US Small Business Administration will be hosting another one hour webinar tomorrow, Friday, 3/13 at 11AM . More information can be found here: https://wsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/99270881

Keeping the Lights On: a Business Resiliency Webinar

Date: March 13,2020

Time: 11:00 am

Is your business prepared for a disruption beyond your control? Are your employees prepared?

An actionable business resiliency plan could mean the difference between business continuity or closure.

Join the Washington SBDC for a no-cost 30 minute business resiliency webinar, "Keeping the Lights On". An introduction to our 25-page guide to help small business owners prepare to respond quickly and recover from disruptions. Webinar participants will also receive a business resiliency plan template that they can customize to meet the specific needs of their business.

Keeping the Lights On will cover how to:

Identify your critical resources
Plan to use alternative resources
Respond with your plan
Bring your business back to normal

There will be a 30 minute Q&A session immediately after the webinar

Check Out the Webinar Here!

SODO BIA

[email protected]

Office: 206-294-3285

270 Hanford St.

Suite 112

Seattle, WA 98134

About SODO BIA

Contact Director

SODO EVENTS