Resource Roundup: July 7th 2021

Resource Roundup: July 7th, 2021

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* Gov. Jay Inslee has issued an extension of the utility moratorium proclamation, which will now expire on September 30, 2021. This will be the final extension of the proclamation and the extension will align with the end date of the tenancy preservation bridge to give Washingtonians struggling with housing payments time to prepare and seek assistance before both proclamations expire.

The Office of the Governor will work closely with utilities on how they can continue to support customers once the moratorium expires. In addition to outreach from utilities, customers should contact their utility to learn about programs and financial resources that can help with unpaid utility bills and prevent disconnections. Customers can look up their utility information here or call 2-1-1. Read the full proclamation here.

*NEW* Beginning July 1st, public transportation options like buses, trains and ferries in the Puget Sound region are returning to full capacity and opening all seats. State social distancing restrictions for transit have been removed as part of Governor Inslee decision to reopen Washington state. Passengers are still required to wear masks on transit and at indoor transit facilities in compliance with the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) mandate.

Passengers also must continue to maintain a six-foot distance from bus drivers, except when paying fare. Visit here for more information.

*NEW* Public Health – Seattle & King County has announced the end of the current King County Mask Directive that has been in place since May 20, 2021. In addition to the King County mask directive ending, starting June 30, the State of Washington is removing most COVID-19 restrictions. All industry sectors previously covered by the Roadmap to Recovery or the Safe Start plan (with the limited exceptions noted here for large indoor events) may return to usual capacity and operations under the Washington Ready plan. Find more information here.

Worker and Business Resources

*NEW* The Seattle Department of Transportation Safe Start temporary permit program ends in May 2022. Take the Safe Start Permit-Holder Survey to provide feedback on the future use of streets and sidewalks for outdoor cafes, displays, or vending. The survey will close on August 15, 2021. Responses will be compiled and analyzed, and resulting data will be used to guide and support future proposal for a transition away from temporary recovery permitting and toward a return to standard permitting.

*NEW* The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced that this year, and throughout 2022, businesses can claim a 100% deduction for food or beverage expenses paid to restaurants. Learn more at: http://go.usa.gov/xHgy8

The PSE Foundation 2021 grant application is now open. This will focus on the most immediate needs such as childcare, housing, food and other essential services and help address COVID-19 impacts through 2021. Applicants should demonstrate how funding for programmatic or capital projects will enable organizations to help communities HEAL and overcome insecurities worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic related to health or welfare insecurities.

Local nonprofit organizations serving the communities of PSE’s 10-county service area (Whatcom, Island, Skagit, Snohomish, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Pierce, Lewis and Thurston counties) are invited to apply. Learn more about Grants or go directly to PSE Employee & Retiree Matching. Application deadline is August 31st with grants awarded in November 2021.

The City of Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) and Comcast are partnering to launch and expand critical digital resources to support Seattle’s small businesses most impacted by COVID-19 and the digital divide. Comcast contributed nearly $40,000 in addition to OED’s $50,000 investment to Kay Tita, a social impact nonprofit, who will implement a new Digital Sales Access Program (DSAP). DSAP will support 50 small businesses by equipping them with a point-of-sales (POS) system and connecting participating businesses with tools and training needed to pivot their operations to a new digital system. To be eligible for the new Digital Sales Access Program, small businesses must have a maximum of five employees; be interested in learning how to leverage digital resources to grow their business; and be cash-only or in need of a POS upgrade. Each eligible business owner will receive POS equipment, a Square stand, an iPad Air and one-on-one POS training. Businesses that meet the eligibility requirements can apply and find more information at kaytita.org/dsap.

Public Health — Seattle & King County has made several updates to it's COVID-19 Information and Resources to reflect the updated mask Directive. The changes are as follows:

Key updates to the FAQ on wearing masks in King County, including when to wear a face covering, information specific to public transportation and why children need to wear masks.
How long people should isolate or quarantine depending on their situation. Translated versions can be found on the Isolation and Quarantine page.
When Can I Be Around Others Again?
Getting Vaccinated" flyers now available in multiple languages

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced extended deferment periods for all disaster loans, including the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, until 2022. This means:
All SBA disaster loans made in calendar year 2020, including COVID-19 EIDL, will have a first payment due date extended from 12-months to 24-months from the date of the note.
All SBA disaster loans made in calendar year 2021, including COVID-19 EIDL, will have a first payment due date extended from 12-months to 18-months from the date of the note.

Find more information on the announcement here.

Reopening Resources

*NEW* The Alliance for Pioneer Square has introduced a section on our website to help provide businesses guidance and resources for best practices as the state fully reopens.

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 group and connect with other neighborhood businesses. Click here to join the Pioneer Square Business Owners and Managers Facebook page.

King County is providing reopening business tools for Phase 3 guidance and requirements. The new tools include a safe work plan template, owners guide to reopening and reopening checklist. Businesses can access these resources below:
King County Safe Start: Businesses and Workplaces
City of Seattle: COVID-19 Reopening Business

The Association of Washington Businesses has created a hub where businesses can get access to PPE and other resources to assist with reopening. The site is free to use and available to all Washington businesses.

Neighborhood Advocacy

*NEW*The Alliance for Pioneer Square is working on an upcoming permanent mural project, and we need your input! Please take this survey to express which mural theme you would most like to see reflected in a brand-new permanent mural located in Pioneer Square. Please note that results of this survey may influence the design direction; however, final mural design may evolve as project implementation continues.

This survey should only take a couple of minutes to complete. The survey closes on Thursday, July 15th at 11p. Thank you for your feedback on this exciting project!

*NEW* The Alliance for Pioneer Square will host a virtual information session on Friday, July 16th, from 1:30-2:15p where we will be presenting on the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on Pioneer Square, and the Alliance’s response to support our neighborhood. RSVP here to attend. You can find previous meeting slides and webinar recordings here.

*NEW* Join the Alliance for Pioneer Square, Recology, Seattle Public Utilities, and Waste Management Seattle on Wednesday, July 14th from 12:00-1:00p for an update on garbage collection, recycling and yard/food waste. RSVP here

*NEW* Join the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) and the Seattle Police Department (SPD) for a one and a half hour de-escalation training on August 17th from 10:30a-12p. RSVP here.

*NEW* Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) is offering a virtual training to staff and member organizations of the Alliance for Pioneer Square. The training will be held on August 31, 2021 from 1:00pm - 4:30pm via Zoom. RSVP here.

Partner Efforts

*NEW* The Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) is spearheading two Welcome Back Weeks: July 12-24 and September 4-19. Throughout the summer, DSA is creating countless opportunities for workers, residents and visitors to participate in fun and safe events, from outdoor concerts and movies to happy hours and urban hikes.

During the first week of each two-week period, DSA will host tented booths in various downtown locations featuring music, refreshments, and friendly staff who can answer questions about what’s open, what’s changed, and even offer updates on commuting options.

To make these “Welcome Back Weeks” as full and rich as possible, DSA/MID is asking all downtown businesses to participate by offer unique opportunities, deals, promotions or incentives to attract people downtown. Ideas include: Two-for-one tickets, discounted entry to attractions, “Welcome Back” specials, sidewalk sales, prizes, early access to stores/attractions, etc.

Events will be added to an online calendar, promoted through numerous channels, and receive marketing and PR support. Interested businesses can sign up here. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Additional Resources

Between weekly messages please review our website, which features an in-depth series of resources intended to assist small business owners, managers, and employees impacted by the COVID-19 virus crisis, along with public health recommendations.

Driving to Pioneer Square? Check out mobile-friendly DowntownSeattleParking.com for parking locations throughout the neighborhood.

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

Sincerely,

The Alliance Team

ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE