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* Governor Jay Inslee has announced the upcoming rescission of all remaining COVID-19 emergency proclamations and state of emergency by October 31st 2022. Nearly three-quarters of the governor’s 85 COVID-19 emergency orders have already been lifted, and an additional 13 health care related orders will end October 27th. The remaining 10 orders are to be lifted on October 31st, including the underlying state of emergency. Learn more about the announcement here. 

• *NEW* New COVID-19 booster shots are now available. Updated COVID-19 boosters add Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 spike protein components to the current vaccine composition, helping to restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination by targeting variants that are more transmissible and immune-evading. Public Health – Seattle & King County will have doses available at vaccination sites at the Auburn Outlet Collection Mall. Find information about other locations at kingcounty.gov/vaccine or visit here for more.

• King County Executive Dow Constantine has issued a proclamation declaring Monkey Pox a public health emergency in King County. Public Health is currently working with local community- based organizations to reach the highest risk populations with health information. For more information on Monkey Pox visit www.kingcounty.gov/monkeypox. People in Washington can also call 1-833-829-HELP (4357) to ask about risk factors, vaccines, testing and treatment or visit the Washington department of health's website for more information.

• The FDA recently extended the expiration dates for several over-the-counter COVID tests. Public health officials have communicated that at home COVID-19 tests are likely good for several months beyond the expiration date on the box. According to the state Department of Health, that includes those that Washington residents can get mailed to them for free through 

sayyescovidhometest.org. 

Any home tests ordered through Washington's program can be safely used for six months beyond the "Use by" date listed on the packaging. You can check the FDA's website for a full list of approved COVID-19 tests and their revised expiration dates. Learn more here.

Worker and Business Resources

• *NEW* The Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) is offering free websites for Seattle small businesses and creative entrepreneurs. Partnering with the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, OED is expanding the Youth Web Design program to assist Seattle small businesses and creative entrepreneurs without a business website or limited online presence. The program connects businesses with local high school students to design websites, covers all website expenses for the first year, and business owners are taught the technical skills needed to maintain and update their websites. In addition, businesses will have a free photoshoot with a professional photographer to showcase their products or services on their new website. The deadline to apply is September 30th, 2022. Click here for more information. 

• *NEW* Seattle Restaurant Week returns this fall, on October 23rd to November 5th to support the Seattle-area restaurant community. Seattle Restaurant Week is a bi-annual prix fixe dining promotion that gives diners a unique chance to support the greater Seattle area’s culinary community, highlighting its craft, diversity, resilience, and great food.

Learn more and sign up here: https://srweek.org/restaurant-signup/

• *NEW* Merchant Method is hosting a webinar on Monday, September 19th at 10a to discuss how to improve site traffic and conversion rates to make more sales online. The webinar featuring Arianne Foulks of Aeolidia, Shopify and branding experts, will cover:

• The importance of both traffic and conversion rate
• 5 ways to get more high quality traffic
• 5 ways to get publicity that makes more sales

Interested businesses can register at https://programs.merchantmethod.com/.

• *NEW* New Labor and Industries (L&I) Job Safety and Health Law posters are now available to businesses. Employees now have up to 90 days to file a complaint if they believe they were fired for filing a safety-related complaint. Businesses are required to hang the poster linked below where employees can see it. Download and print today!

• *NEW* Best Starts is working to improve access to child care in king County through the Best Starts Child Care Subsidy. The new Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy will invest $20 million each year for the next six-years to expand equitable access to child care for families in the community. The first step in the application process for the new subsidy program is now available here! Families may be eligible for the subsidy if they:
• Live in King County
• Fall below the income cap (85 % state median income)
• Are not eligible for the State Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) subsidy program
• Have one or more children age 12 or younger
• Choose a licensed child care provider

You can read more about the subsidy on the Best Starts blog here.

• Last month, the Seattle Office of Economic Development, through its Neighborhood Economic Recovery Fund and Only in Seattle initiative, held a webinar to provide an update on current technical assistance resources available to businesses in Seattle. These included financial health and commercial space information, available state funding, legal assistance and more. The webinar was recorded and is available here. You may also view the presentation deck here.

Partner Efforts

• *NEW* Jackson Hub is a major transit hub located between the Chinatown International District and Pioneer Square. It is an ever evolving public space with a rich history. Over the past year, the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) has worked with the Alliance for Pioneer Square and HistoryLink to create the Jackson Hub Art Tour. This was made possible thanks to funding from Historic South Downtown.

The virtual self-guided tour highlights the different public art pieces that are in the International District Chinatown Station. Please check out the tour here or via the QR code above if you are interested in learning more about the art in Jackson Hub. There is also a short survey about public art and public space activation that is linked on the tour, we’d love to hear your feedback!

Other Neighborhood Updates

• *NEW* The Alliance for Pioneer Square is asking business owners/managers to fill out this annual crime and safety survey. The goal of the survey is to get an accurate understanding about the impacts of crime and the effects of safety concerns of Pioneer Square businesses over the past six months.

The Alliance for Pioneer Square will use data collected from this survey in our advocacy efforts with City, County, and State representative as we advocate for a clean, safe, and inviting community for all people. The 2022 Annual Pioneer Square Crime and Safety survey will close on October 1, 2022.

Note, Specific survey responses are kept confidential and shared only in the aggregate unless a business owner had a specific story or incident they wished to share publicly. Take the survey here.

• Please join us for the Pioneer Square BIA Annual Meeting on Wednesday, November 16th from 4-5:30p as we celebrate all the successes we have achieved together this past year and look ahead to 2023. All Ratepayers in good standing are invited to meet the BIA Stakeholder Board, the Alliance board members, and Alliance staff as well as learn about new initiatives planned for the upcoming year. You will also have a chance to meet and connect with both your first floor and upper level neighbors, including welcoming some new faces! RSVP here to attend.

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 our Marketing Manager, Thembela Mavuso at thembela@pioneersquare.org 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.