A Message from
Estelle Bussa,
City of Ventura Economic Development Manager
Keep Our Community Safe!

When supporting Ventura businesses this weekend, don't forget to cover your face and maintain your space!  

Here's a few simple reminders on how you can help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Let's do our part to keep all our loved ones safe!
Governor Newsom Signs Statewide COVID-19 Tenant
and Landlord Protection Legislation

On Monday, August 31, 2020, Governor Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 3088, the Tenant, Homeowner, and Small Landlord Relief and Stabilization Act of 2020, which targets protections for tenants to shield them from evictions due to COVID-19-related back rent through February 1, 2021. The law extends anti-foreclosure protections in the Homeowner Bill of Rights to small landlords.

  • Click HERE for the Tenant-Homeowner Fact Sheet
  • Click HERE for the Governor's Press Release

Key provisions of the bill include:

  • Tenant cannot be evicted for a COVID-19 related hardship that accrued between March 4 – August 31, 2020 if tenant returns declaration of hardship under penalty of perjury.
  • Tenant cannot be evicted for a COVID-19 related hardship that accrues between September 1, 2020 – January 31, 2021 if tenant returns declaration of hardship under penalty of perjury and pays at least 25% of the rent due.
  • So long as the tenant with COVID-19 related hardship follows the bill’s procedures, any unpaid rent due between March 4, 2020 – January 31, 2021 is not a ground/basis for eviction, but is still owed to the landlord as a form of consumer debt.
  • Existing local ordinances can remain in place until they expire and future local action cannot undermine this Act’s framework.
  • Extends the Homeowners’ Bill of Rights’ anti-foreclosure protections to small landlords, 1-4 units, non-owner occupied.
  • Increases penalties on landlords who resort to self-help (i.e., locking the tenant out, throwing property out onto the curb, shutting off utilities) to evict a tenant, rather than going through the required court process.

Housing Rights Center - Ventura County

HRC is a private, non-profit organization that is contracted with the County of Ventura, and by various cities across the County to provide Fair Housing services.

Their mission is to actively support and promote fair housing through education, advocacy, and litigation to the end that all persons have the opportunity to secure the housing they desire and can afford, without regard to personal characteristics protected by law.

Services include:
  • free landlord/tenant counseling
  • housing discrimination investigation
  • education on fair housing laws, as well as predatory lending information and referrals.

For assistance with housing discrimination concerns in the County of Ventura, please visit the HRC website or call toll free:
State Launches New Housing Is Key Website To
Inform Tenants & Landlords

Governor Gavin Newsom announced on September 2, 2020, the launch of the “Housing is Key” campaign aimed at connecting renters and landlords experiencing economic hardship due to COVID-19 with helpful information and resources.

The purpose of the website is to assist tenants, landlords, homeowners, legal assistance and community-based organizations in understanding the current protections available to help households remain housed. This website includes protection guidelines, forms and other resources.
Expanded Benefits For Individuals Who Must
Remain At Home To Care For Students

There are three scenarios below given as examples to explain eligibility.
 
Guidance. An individual who is: 1) ineligible for regular UC, EB, and PEUC; and 2) self certifies that he or she is unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because “a child or other person in the household for which the individual has primary caregiving responsibility is unable to attend school or another facility that is closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency and such school or facility care is required for the individual to work” may be eligible for PUA, as described in Section 2102(a)(3)(A)(ii)(I)(dd) of the CARES Act.
 
However, as described in Section 2102(a)(3)(B) of the CARES Act, the individual is not eligible for PUA if he or she has the ability to telework with pay or if he or she is receiving paid sick leave or other paid leave benefits, regardless of whether the individual is unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because of one of the COVID-19-related reasons listed in the statute at Section 2102(a)(3)(A)(ii)(I).
 
Scenario 1: The school system goes fully online as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency. When the school system is only providing online instruction, it is not open for students to be physically present at the school, and therefore is considered closed under section 2102(a)(3)(A)(ii)(I)(dd) of the CARES Act. If the individual must stay home because he or she is the primary caregiver for the student(s), the individual may be eligible for paid leave benefits under FFCRA.
 
Scenario 2: The school system operates in a “hybrid” environment as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency, where students attend school in-person some days of the week, with the rest of the week being done remotely, online. When the school system is providing a combination of online and in-person instruction, it is not open for certain student(s) to be physically present at the school on those certain days when receiving online instructions, and therefore is considered closed under section 2102(a)(3)(A)(ii)(I)(dd) of the CARES Act. If the individual must stay home to care for the 4 student(s) on the days of remote instruction, the individual may be eligible for paid leave benefits under FFCRA
 
Scenario 3: The school system provides students the option to stay home and attend online classes or to attend school in-person full time. When the school system provides the individual with a choice between full-time in-person instruction and remote learning, it is open for students to be physically present at the school.
 
If the individual who is the primary caregiver chooses to have the student(s) participate in remote learning instead of in-person instruction, the individual does not meet the provisions of item (dd) of Section 2102(a)(3)(A)(ii)(I) of the CARES Act. Unless the individual meets another listed COVID-19 related reason under items (aa) through (kk) in Section 2102(a)(3)(A)(ii)(I) of the CARES Act, the individual is ineligible for PUA. An individual who continues to claim PUA benefits under item (dd), despite the reopening of schools, may face an overpayment, as well as penalties for fraud and criminal prosecution.
 
Coming Soon - Additional Benefit For Those Receiving At Lease $100
 
*Note: A start date has not yet been released for this program.

A supplemental payment of $300 per week will be available for a limited period of time, a minimum of three weeks, for claimants who are:
 
  1. Currently eligible to receive at least $100 per week in benefits, and
  2. Who have provided a self-certification that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.
 
The supplement is retroactive to Aug 1st
 
For more information, SEE HERE. 

Now Accepting Applications for the General Plan Advisory Committee

The City of Ventura is seeking to form a General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) of 10-15 community representatives to collaborate and provide guidance throughout the General Plan Update process.

It is critical that each person appointed to the GPAC be willing to perform all required duties for the duration of the planning process, which is anticipated to last through Spring 2023 and will include approximately 18 GPAC meetings.
Weekly: Monday & Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.: The SBDC is providing Monday and Wednesday webinars for the Small Business Community on information as it relates to funding information during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Topics will include Economic Injury Disaster Loan, Payroll Protection Program, Disaster Bridge Loan, 7a Forgiveness Program, and other funding opportunities for your business.

Tuesday, September 8, 10:30 a.m. - noon. Join SCORE for a free webinar titled "Using QuickBooks® to Manage Your Finances During Covid-19 and Beyond". Every Small Business can benefit by learning how to use QuickBooks® to keep track of sales, manage bank accounts, create financial reports, and properly track COVID-19 loans. Juliana Ramirez from JR Bookkeeping will address common bookkeeping issues facing entrepreneurs.:
  • How to keep track of accounts receivables and payables, how to manage invoicing, and how to manage reports.
  • How to use QuickBooks® to manage your business, examples of how QB can work for you.
  •  How to improve ability to track and control financial information, invoices, bank accounts, and more.
  • Register HERE

Wednesday, September 9, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Join SCORE for a free webinar titled "The Amazon Effect - Its Impact on Your Customer's Expectations". In this webinar we will discuss how Amazon (and companies like them) have changed your customers’ expectations and some basic steps on how you can adjust your business to meet them. These concepts can be applied to your business no matter if you have products to sell or you deliver services. 

Monday, September 14, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Join WEV and learn the basics of small business bookkeeping using QuickBooks Desktop.
  • Build confidence in performing everyday financial tasks and tracking your business performance
  • 4-week introductory course
  • Instructor-led, online, group learning*
  • Register HERE

Tuesday, September 15, 10:30 a.m. - noon. Join SCORE for a free webinar titled "Everything You Need to Know About Google My Business". Gain an understanding of the overall importance of optimizing your Google My Business listing and how to make your existing listing even better! 

Wednesday, September 23, 10:30 a.m. - noon. Join HUTDogs! and SCORE for a free webinar titled "Social Media & Email - Build a Powerful Online Marketing System". Email marketing and social media are power tools for your business /organization. In this webinar we will look at how Email Marketing and Social Media can work for you. We will look at best practices, real-world examples and provide tips and ideas. 

Thursday, September 24, noon. Join the EDC for a free webinar titled "Creative Solutions for Commercial Landlords and Tenants During COVID-19.“ The webinar will cover commercial leasing and finding creative solutions to tenant-landlord disputes during COVID-19 with partners and associate attorneys from Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones, & Feingold. Their excellent panel with extensive experience in lease negotiation, civil litigation, and resolving business disputes will review:  
  • Lease provisions during COVID-19
  • The September eviction moratorium
  • Effect of bankruptcies on commercial tenancies
  • Strategies to achieving win-win solutions for both tenants and landlords
  • Register HERE

Take the Census Today!

The power to shape your community is in your hands. Census takers are visiting homes, but you can still respond now to the #2020Census online or by phone. It is a 9 question survey and it takes less than 10 minutes to complete!
We've created a central location for you to get print and digital Coronavirus COVID-19 design resources from local, state, and national agencies. This toolkit includes social media graphics and printed materials available for download. Click HERE.
CITY OF VENTURA
501 Poli St, Ventura, CA 93001
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