Pioneer Square Business Stakeholders-

The Alliance for Pioneer Square team is working diligently to keep the Pioneer Square community informed regarding new resources and opportunities available to them. This roundup is part of a series of weekly messages capturing new resources and opportunities. Find each weekly email to date on our website.

*Please see this roundup's new resources and opportunities highlighted in RED*

What's Happening

• *NEW* Earlier this year, the Biden Administration announced that both the COVID-19 national emergency and public health emergency will end on May 11, 2023. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries said COVID-19 emergency rules impacting businesses are set to end on April 1st and the agency is deciding if the rules will be renewed to May 11 to align with the federal end date. Key COVID-19 business rules that will end include:

• COVID-19 exposure and outbreak reporting in the workplace
• Extra handwashing facilities and COVID-19 prevention education in the workplace
• Accommodations for high-risk employees seeking more COVID-19 protections
• Frontline workers who contract COVID-19 at work will no longer be eligible for workers’ compensation coverage
• COVID-19 outbreaks in your business may impact your L&I experience rating, and may impact how much you pay to L&I

Whether the end date is April 1st or May 11th, this time frame allows businesses to plan for how to wind down to pre-pandemic regulations and means businesses must continue to comply with COVID-19 rules. In November 2022, the Seattle Metro Chamber issued a download-and-print toolkit with reminders of the COVID-19 rules still in place for your business and it’s a great refresher to keep you and your staff in compliance.

• *NEW* Coming soon to the waterfront will be the installation of 5g poles by various carriers. New poles will be going in along the Waterfront Seattle Program area from Pioneer Square to Belltown. This work began with the first 5G pole going in on the west side of Alaskan Way S between S King and S Jackson streets, on Wednesday, February 8th.

Seattle City Light requires carriers to provide a mailed project notification to residents and businesses within 300 feet of the project a minimum of 5 days prior to installation. Those within 300 feet of the upcoming installation on Alaskan Way S between S Jackson and S Main streets should expect to receive that notice if they have not already.

The City’s Information Technology Department has a very informative FAQ on 5G and Small Wireless Facilities on Seattle Poles. If you have any questions about the upcoming installation of 5G poles on the waterfront we recommend you reach out to the City’s Wireless Telecommunications Line at (206) 727-8700 or email [email protected].

Worker and Business Resources

• *NEW* Councilmember Dan Strauss (District 6 – Northwest Seattle), Chair of the Land Use Committee, in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has announced that SDOT is officially accepting new permit applications for long-term ‘permanent’ outdoor street cafes.

SDOT will be accepting applications now through April 30, 2023, for folks who are re-applying for a permit. If you are applying to be a first-time permit holder, you can apply at any time. In addition to the street cafes, there are new seasonal and temporary event-based permitting options. Cafes are allowed in the curb space or on sidewalks. The long-term permits renew annually. For more information, you can check out SDOT’s blog with the different permits and what they mean.

• *NEW* The Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) approved by the State legislature in 2021 went into effect on February 1st. Governor Inslee’s statement notes that for qualified families, this credit will provide for up to a $1,200 cash refund. The Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) is a new annual tax credit of as much as $1,200 for low to moderate income people in Washington. Undocumented immigrants and mixed status families are eligible for the Working Families Tax Credit. Free assistance with the WFTC application is available through United Way of King County's Free Tax Prep program, which offers assistance at 16 sites across King County, including at El Centro de la Raza. A full list of organizations offering assistance with the application can be found here.

You can check your eligibility and apply through the Washington Department of Revenue. Applications for the 2022 tax year will be accepted through December 31, 2023. View FAQ's about the program here.

• *NEW* The Alliance is sharing information regarding foot traffic coming and going from the south end of the district from February though April. To better inform business operations on game and event days, follow this link to the Lumen Field and Event Center, WAMU Theater and T-Mobile Park event calendar.

• The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) Transit Pass is a partnership between SHA and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). SHA residents who live in an SHA owned and managed property are eligible to receive an unlimited-use ORCA card to take transit at no cost. The program will run through December 31, 2026.

The Transit Pass Program is available to any SHA resident aged 19 or older who lives at an SHA owned and managed property. If you are unsure if you live in an eligible SHA property or community, please review our list of eligible properties. Please note, your name must be on the lease in order to receive an ORCA card. There is no income requirement to receive this card. Learn more here.

• The Washington State Department of Commerce recently announced a grant program that will provide assistance for eligible restaurants, bars, and other qualifying businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic. This program will also provide assistance to “lodging establishments” taxable by the state under chapter 28.08 RCW with 40 or more lodging units affected by the Governors’ moratorium.

Grantees must use the funding for losses accepted between March 3, 2021 and October 31, 2021, as required by federal ARPA regulations and in accordance with the governor’s eviction moratorium end dates. Recipients/ Grantees will have until December 31, 2024 to use the fund. Commerce will launch the portal and will provide a link to receive applications in the 1st week in March 2023. Please continue to check the grant site for more information as it becomes available.

• Does your King County business employ fewer than 100 people? Your company could qualify for the ORCA Business Passport program at a lower cost! Signing up for the first time? Subsidize your employees’ transit passes with ORCA Business Passport and you may be eligible for 50% off your first year, for a savings of up to $10,000. Learn more and apply here.

• Solid Ground Transportation provides FREE rides for people living on low incomes and those who use health and human services in downtown Seattle. Look for the Solid Ground logo on the front and sides of the Circulator and signs posted at stops. Learn more about the circulator and route here.

Partner Efforts

• *NEW*The Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) is up for renewal this year, and the MID needs your help to ensure it gets reauthorized for another 10 years. If you want the MID-funded cleaning, safety, concierge and park services and the work of downtown ambassadors to continue, please lend your voice to the MID's efforts! The MID has created an online petition in support of the renewal process. You can sign up to support the MID renewal here.

• *NEW*Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) seeks unique and interesting business collaborations that promote and enhance parks through a shared commitment to healthy people, healthy environment and strong communities. Opportunities vary, with some sites appropriate for carts, food trucks and other self-contained businesses. Most locations do not have storage or electricity available. Small businesses and Women and/or Minority Businesses (WMBE) are encouraged to submit proposals.

Before submitting your request, review the program website for FAQ, site descriptions and visit the park location. Concession permits are awarded through a competitive evaluation process called the Request for Proposal (RFP). RFP proposals must be received by SPR no later than 3 pm on March 2, 2023. Visit here for more information.

• *NEW* If you grow, harvest, process, transport, prepare, sell, or serve food (or you support those who do) you're invited to Good Food Connections. This trade event, hosted by Seattle Good Business Network in partnership with Tilth Alliance, will be held on February 27th, 2023 at Block 41 in Seattle.

Join them for a gourmet lunch, trade networking, panels and presentations and a happy hour tasting event. Register here to attend.

• *NEW* The Downtown Seattle Association is seeking interested vendors for a Spring themed pop-up market on Friday, March 24th from 11a-4p at Occidental Square in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle. This is a one-time event to celebrate spring, however vendors can be considered for future events. Registration to vend is free and all profits from sales will go directly to the vendors. Vendors must provide insurance to vend at the event. Vendors interested in participating in the Spring Market should contact Ryan Sparks at [email protected].

• *NEW* Applications are open for the 2023 Soil & Water Stewardship program. The program offers a comprehensive, nine-month training in sustainable food production and environmental stewardship for King County residents. Participants meet one weekend each month, learning together over Zoom and then applying what they learn through hands-on projects at garden and partner sites throughout King County.

Topics include:

• Understanding soil, soil health and compost systems;
• Reducing toxic runoff threatening Puget Sound, through rain gardens, cisterns and green infrastructure;
• Addressing food equity and environmental justice issues that affect communities in King County, through building garden beds, planting community orchards and growing food using organic gardening techniques;
• Implementing permaculture concepts and designing sustainable landscapes;
• And installing rain barrels, drip irrigation systems and implement water conservation practices.

For more information, visit tilthalliance.org/stewardship or email Anita Waghani, Community Education Program Manager at Tilth Alliance at [email protected].

Other Neighborhood Updates

• *NEW* The Alliance for Pioneer Square invite community member to our spring networking event on Thursday, March 23rd from 4-6p at 210 Studio (210 S Washington St.). Stop by and connect with your neighborhoods! This event is open to anyone who owns property, a business or works in Pioneer Square. Complimentary food and beverages will be available. RSVP here today. For any questions, please contact us at [email protected].

• The Alliance offers free virtual/in person de-scalation trainings led by the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) and the Seattle Police Department (SPD). The MID/SPD de-escalation training is going to be in-depth training program that teaches you how to recognize, reduce and manage aggressive behavior.

Over the course of the presentation, the MID will provide effective and compassionate methods of handling anxious or aggressive people, as well as increase confidence and introduce skills that can be used during threatening situations. Members of SPD will also present on personal safety techniques and field individualized questions from attendees. Please contact [email protected] to schedule a training for your business.

Additional Resources

• Save $5 with code PIONEERSQ on First Thursday Artwalk with Veo, one of Seattle's new bikeshare providers. Learn more about their class II e-bikes in Seattle here. Driving to Pioneer Square? Check out mobile-friendly DowntownSeattleParking.com for parking locations throughout the neighborhood. 

• Each Friday, we give neighborhood businesses and organizations the opportunity to share a series of photo and video content to the Alliance for Pioneer Square’s social media channels via stories, feed posts and live video updates, for the entire day. Fill out the Google Form to get started with the process or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

• The Pioneer Square Business Owners & Managers Facebook group is an opportunity for business owners and retailers to participate in an online forum and share resources, support and stories. We invite you to join the group and connect with other neighborhood businesses. Click here to join the Pioneer Square Business Owners and Managers Facebook page.

Please let us know how we might best support you. Feel free to contact any of us with comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns.