City of Long Beach Business Brief
December 3, 2021
Welcome to the Economic Development Department's Business Brief! We are continuing to ensure you are updated on the latest business resources and news.
Official Statement by City of Long Beach Health and Human Services Department Regarding the Omicron COVID-19 Variant
The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services is closely monitoring information regarding the COVID-19 variant Omicron. No cases of the new variant have been confirmed in the United States. A percentage of the City’s positive tests are sequenced to detect variants, and the Health Department will inform the community if Omicron is detected in Long Beach.

New variants will continue to evolve as long as there are large proportions of unvaccinated people. While nearly 84% of adults in Long Beach have received at least one vaccine dose, 66.8% of those eligible for vaccine (five years old and up) are fully vaccinated. Becoming fully vaccinated and getting the booster continues to be the most effective way to protect yourself and the community from the virus.
Accelerate Long Beach Upcoming Thursday, December 9, 2021!
The quarterly economic forum from the Long Beach Economic Partnership is happening upcoming Thursday, December 9.

This free, virtual event will explore skyline-changing projects that were recently completed, are under construction or are in the pipeline. Investors who are in-the-know are building on a solid foundation and betting on Long Beach’s future.
 
You'll hear from the Cal State University, Long Beach Office of Economic Research about Long Beach’s economic picture, and how the city has been experiencing massive growth in development over the past couple of years. The buildout of thousands of residential units and millions of square feet of commercial real estate help attract and retain professional workers and world-class corporations to this waterfront metropolis.
 
This live, virtual conference is FREE and open to all. Live Q&A sessions with the speakers and experts will give you a chance to get deeper insight into Long Beach’s economic picture.
 
The information and data shared will be useful not only to those already doing business in the city, but anyone looking to relocate, work or invest here.
Economic Development Commission Meeting
Join the Economic Development Commission Meeting on Monday, December 13 at 4:00 p.m. Be a part of planning the City’s Blueprint for Economic Development! The Blueprint focuses on advancing a 10-year vision of making Long Beach a City of opportunity for workers, investors, and entrepreneurs.
Long Beach has been a leader on addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. From quick vaccine rollouts to the variety of innovative programs kickstarted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Long Beach has been preparing to lead Long Beach toward an equitable and just recovery. 

While Long Beach focuses on recovery, Long Beach acknowledges that the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating and it has exacerbated long-standing inequities in Long Beach. Communities of color, already facing disproportionately negative health outcomes, have suffered the highest coronavirus disease burden and death rates. These communities have also felt the economic fallout of the pandemic acutely, facing additional loss of income and greater-than-average housing insecurity.

As Long Beach recovers from the pandemic, Long Beach wants to be intentional with the Long Beach Recovery Act’s millions in federal, state, and county relief funds to ensure an economic and public health recovery. Building resilience in Long Beach communities and prioritizing equitable outcomes is the City's goal.
We are thrilled to feature a Microenterprise Loan recipient Inspyr Arts! Inspyr Arts is an art studio providing in-person & online classes to students ages 6-18 in a range of subjects including fine art, illustration, figure drawing, cartooning and anime, portrait drawing, digital art, digital animation and more.

lnspyr Arts has provided art education to the Long Beach community for over 10 years. lnspyr Arts is located in Bluff Heights and the facility is a brightly lit space with large windows and two separate studios, plus an outdoor courtyard. One studio is used for the fine arts program and the other studio is used for the digital arts and animation program. Combined, the studios can accommodate 10 classes and 90-100 students per day.
 
The Online Membership Program can provide live online classes for up to 80 students per instructor with full access to all live classes and times each week. In addition, the online students also receive a box of art supplies curated by expert staff each month, as well as a free membership to lnspyrTV, their on-demand streaming platform. lnspyrTV can provide art lessons to an unlimited number of students, both in the U.S. and around the world with its library of over 200 original art lessons with new lessons and videos added each week.

With the City of Long Beach Microenterprise Loan Inspyr Arts was able to provide funds for staffing, supplies, and more! The Microenterprise Loan Program is designed to support Long Beach small businesses. The Microenterprise Loan proceeds may go toward business expenses, such as personnel, rent, supplies/materials, utilities, professional services, and more (proceeds cannot be spent on construction).

For more information and for a full list of City small business loan programs available click here.
Kiva Loan
The City of Long Beach Economic Development Department is thrilled to announce the KIVA campaign for Rosie's business Whimsical Charm of a $9,500 loan is LIVE! The business is a line of uniquely handmade and personalized embroidered baby blankets, fun robes, and quality apparel designed for parents who desire to provide their children with warmth, comfort, and style all locally made in the USA. Currently, the campaign is 20% funded. The KIVA loan will allow Rosie to create jobs and hire cyclical staff members including three youth from underserved disadvantaged communities. These resources will assist in creating a happy and healthy environment for everyone involved while creating and maintaining an ongoing network of creatives.

Check out Rosie's KIVA campaign:

Long Beach entrepreneurs can access 0% interest rates, no-fee loans, and up to $15,000 through KIVA (www.kiva.org), a nonprofit organization focused on expanding financial opportunities to small businesses in the community. The City of Long Beach has partnered with LISC-LA to ensure that the business owners, that may be unable to access traditional commercial loans from a bank, can find KIVA loans to be a successful tool to sustain or grow their business.

KIVA Requirements for to business owners:
  • Must be 18 years and older
  • Business must be based in the United States
  • Food, farming, social services, fashion, or retail-based businesses are ideal

The City of Long Beach is now accepting applicants to endorse through the KIVA process. To learn more, please contact KivaLB@longbeach.gov or call (562) 570-4249.

To learn more about other City of Long Beach loan programs click here.
Contact the City of Long Beach BizCare Hotline for Immediate Assistance:

Phone number: 562-570-4BIZ (4249)
Days: Monday - Friday
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

City staff will respond to voicemails made after business hours within 24 hours.