Dear Business Representatives,

The month of September has been yet another month of change. In addition to Santa Clara County moving into the Red Tier as you read in our last Constant Contact message, the state has signed two bills specifically to help small businesses remain resilient during this time. Please see below some important deadlines regarding the local eviction moratorium for small business tenants, upcoming resource workshops, and participating in Milpitas’ Spotlight program.

Small business tenants have up to 6 months after the moratorium expires or terminates to repay at least 50% of the past-due rent, and up to 12 months after the moratorium expires or terminates to repay in full the past-due rent. Civil fines and penalties, monetary damages and injunctive relief may be imposed on landlords who seek to retaliate or deny small business tenants of their rights and protections under the ordinance. More from the website:

If you are a small business tenant, use this form to provide your landlord with documentation of substantial income loss and/or substantial out-of-pocket medical expenses that is directly related to your failure to pay rent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as soon as possible.

Examples of substantial loss of income due to COVID-19 include:

• Temporary closure of or reduction in operating hours of a place of business or substantial decrease in business income

Examples of documentation may include: 

• Bank statements or financial documents showing your business’ financial situation before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

It is important to know that landlords must provide this document explaining why you are being evicted, and what your rights are, as well as assistance programs if they try to evict you.

For more information about the eviction moratorium, please see our list of frequently asked questions.  

National Small Business Week is “[a]n opportunity to recognize inspiring entrepreneurs from across the country for their innovation, and in many cases this year, resilience,” said U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) representative Jovita Carranza. “This year, we will spotlight America’s outstanding small businesses and their stories of perseverance and their ability to pivot and overcome adversity. This event will also feature many educational forums that will inspire entrepreneurs around the country as they recover and sustain their operations.” The SBA will host virtual panel discussions between September 22nd and 24th, which include:

 

• “Pride in America’s Small Businesses” on 9/22

Day’s events include: National Small Business Week Welcome - SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza, Keynote Address & National Small Business Week Awards Presentations

 

• “Preparing for a stronger tomorrow: Recovery, Adaptation, and Innovation” on 9/23

Day’s events include: Panel Discussion Series - America’s Strength, Learning to Pivot and Innovate & Mid-day Sessions - SBA’s Veteran Resources and Veteran Success Story Videos

 

• “Preparing for a stronger tomorrow: Recovery, Adaptation, and Innovation” on 9/24

Day’s events include: Panel Discussion Series - America’s Strength, Learning to Pivot and Innovate & Mid-day Sessions - The Business Landscape of today and Federal and Local Resources to Empower Small Businesses

You can register for these events here. 

This program creates a unique marketing opportunity for fifteen local small businesses to showcase their business in a 90-second professional video production. For more information on eligibility criteria or if you would like to nominate a local business, please visit this link. Nominations for the Spotlight program will close this Monday, September 21 at 5pm. The 15 businesses to be “in the Spotlight” will be randomly selected through a lottery on September 25th. 

AB-1577 protects businesses who accepted Paycheck Protection Program loans under the CARES Act from having to pay California state income tax on their forgiven loans. 

SB-1447 allows businesses with 100 or fewer employees to receive a tax credit of $1,000 per net new hire after July 1, 2020, compared to their workforce in the second quarter of 2020. This credit can be applied against personal and corporate income tax liabilities or sales and use tax liabilities for the 2020 tax year. Eligible small businesses must have experienced a 50% decline in gross receipts between 2020 and 2019 (second quarter). Businesses will have five years to claim the credit and apply it to taxes that they owe.

The official press release from the Office of Governor Newsom can be found here.

The following free series of workshops can help your business grow its “digital footprint” to build the skills needed to compete in an online marketplace, increase revenues, and improve resilience in the face of California’s current multi-disaster environment.

Dates and topics for the “Grow with Google” workshop series can be found below. Check out this website for more information and don’t forget to register.

09/22/2020: Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps: Learn about Google My Business – 10:00 AM (PST). A free tool for local businesses who want to connect with customers on Google Search and Maps. Get hands-on help creating or updating your business profile or a simple website.

09/24/2020: Ponga su negocio local en Google Search y Maps – 10:00 AM (PST). Explore Google My Business, una herramienta gratuita para empresas que desean conectarse con clientes en Google Search y Maps.

09/30/2020: Make Your Website Work for You – 10:00 AM (PST). In this presentation, learners will discover how to create a search-friendly website that drives user action and supports their goals. Whether launching a new website or sprucing up an old one, this workshop will help.

10/07/2020: Use YouTube to Grow Your Business – 10:00 AM (PST). Get best practices for creating a YouTube Channel and compelling video content that promotes your products and services and drives engagement with your brand.

A podcast to help restaurateurs improve their Yelp pages: Creative Marketing Strategies During COVID-19

The County of Santa Clara has created a business landing page on its COVID-19 website for businesses to find COVID-19 resources and information. All this information can be found here or by calling the new COVID-19 Business Call Center at (408) 961-5500.

If you have any questions or need business assistance during COVID-19, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Economic Development team by sending an email. Assistance is available in English, Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and other languages. We will continue to send out pertinent updates as they are made available to keep you informed.

In community spirit,

Alex

Economic Development Director

Phone: (408) 586-3046

Email: [email protected]

455 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas CA 95035