• *NEW* Gov. Inslee recently announced a statewide requirement for businesses to require face coverings of all employees and customers. Starting today, restaurants will be required to refuse service to those who don’t wear face coverings and under this proclamation, businesses may not serve any customer, services or goods, if they do not comply with the state-wide face covering order. Read more on the announcement here.

• *NEW* On Monday, July 6^th the Seattle City Council passed “JumpStart”, a payroll tax on businesses with an annual payroll of $7 million per year or more that would target payroll for employees making $150,000 per year and up. The new tax is expected to fund economic relief and core services during the coronavirus crisis and raise money for housing, local business assistance and community development in the long term. Learn more about the bill here.

• The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will immediately begin accepting street use permit applications, which allow restaurants, retail stores, vending trucks and carts to operate in the sidewalk or curb space in front of their business. The free SDOT flexible temporary street use permit options are for sidewalk cafes, merchandise displays, and food and other vending. These temporary permits will be available for up to six months. Find more Information here.

• On June 27, 2020 Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health John Wiesman announced that the Washington State Department of Health is putting a pause on counties moving to Phase 4 through the “Safe Start” phased approach. Phase 4, which would essentially mean no restrictions, would be impossible at this time due to rising cases across the state and concerns about continued spread of the COVID-19 virus.

• On Friday June 19th, King County entered Phase 2 of Washington's Safe Start plan. Limited social gatherings may be held with five or fewer people outside your household. Restaurants, retailers and other businesses can serve customers. Most businesses will be required to operate at reduced capacity and hours, and all will be required to follow state guidelines designed to ensure the health and safety of employees and customers. These call for social distancing, regular hand washing and, with few exceptions, wearing cloth masks. Counties must remain in each stage of the  four-phased "Safe Start" process for at least three weeks, until health authorities can measure their progress towards eliminating the virus. Learn more here.

• *NEW* King County Emergency Management is collecting information from businesses in King County affected by looting and property damage. Businesses within King County that suffered property damage or other economic losses since May 25, 2020 may be eligible for financial assistance in the absence of adequate insurance coverage. Individuals and businesses in King County are encouraged to submit reports of losses to King County Emergency Management online at kingcounty.gov/damage, or by phone at 1-800-523-5044 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until July 17. Photos of damage may be submitted to damagereporting@kingcounty.gov. Find more information here.

• The City of Seattle is launching a series of Phase 2 reopening toolkits to help small businesses authorized to reopen under the Governor’s guidance to navigate public health requirements and financial considerations. The toolkits provide critical information for small business owners, including a reopening checklist, resources to access Personal Protective Equipment and financial assistance, testing information, and rent and commercial lease assistance. The City has toolkits for the following industries:Restaurants and taverns, Personal services, Professional services, In-store retail, Fitness and training, Domestic services. The toolkits are available on the City’s new reopening website.

• Public Health — Seattle & King County has created free downloadable posters that businesses can print and post to help communicate to their customers and staff the steps they are taking to minimize the risk of COVID-19. Click here to download.

• 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.

• The Alliance for Pioneer Square has introduced a section on our website to help provide businesses guidance and resources for best practices as they prepare to reopen their doors to customers.

• On June 15 the SBA reopened the EIDL application for new applications from qualified businesses. Businesses that have not previously applied may now apply for the loan which can be used for debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact, and that are not already covered by a PPP loan. Read more and apply here.

• On June 5, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPP Flexibility Act) was signed into law to provide businesses with greater flexibility and more time to maximize forgiveness of loans received under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP Flexibility Act extends the 8-week “forgiveness period” to 24 weeks, but no later than December 31, 2020. Learn more here.

• 501 Commons is offering PPP application assistance to nonprofits. If your bank does not respond, can't confirm your status or cannot assure you access, 501 Commons can provide application assistance and may be able to place you with a lender. For application assistance, email PPPLoans@501Commons.org.

• SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Washington Small Businesses Economically Impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• OED provides technical assistance to businesses applying for SBA loans and understanding the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aids, Relief & Security). This includes helping businesses navigate the application process and documentation. For general inquiries, please email OED@seattle.gov or call 206-684-8090.
• Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications here.
• Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Note, the deadline to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan is Dec. 16, 2020.
• The City of Seattle’s Office of Economic development has compiled a summary of the CARES Act and a SBA FAQ.

• *NEW* On July 1st, The Office of Economic Development hosted an informational webinar to discuss updates from Public Health – Seattle & King County, Phase 2 business reopening requirements, support for small businesses reopening and SDOT's temporary outdoor permits. Visit here for webinar recording and presentation slides.

• Stoel Rives LLP has launched the Main Street Relief Project, a no-cost legal service for independent restaurants, bars, and retail establishments in the communities where the firm has offices. Visit here to learn more and apply for assistance.

• OED has created a comprehensive resource page for workers and small businesses impacted by COVID-19 and is providing technical assistance to support small businesses. News and information about new policies and resources available from the City of Seattle, the State of Washington, the federal government, and philanthropic partners can be found on the OED's weekly Bottom Line blog.

• The Office of the Mayor has created a page containing information and links for City of Seattle programs and services that may be helpful for residents significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Federal Government has launched a comprehensive webpage for small business owners to research their options.

• *NEW* The Alliance for Pioneer Square is hosting a virtual information session on Friday, July 17th from 1:30-2:30p on the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on Pioneer Square, relief and resources available from the City State and Federal government to all those impacted by the crisis, and the Alliance’s response to support our neighborhood. RSVP here to attend (note, a Zoom link will be provided on Thursday, July 16th to those who RSVP). Find previous meeting slides and webinar recordings here.

• The Alliance for Pioneer Square, in collaboration with DEI Creative, has launched an online marketplace as a tool for member businesses to generate revenue through online sales during the Coronavirus pandemic. Read DEI Creative's full press release about Support Local here.To participate in the Pioneer Square Marketplace, register your business here.

• As the neighborhood continues to navigate the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, we want to offer an opportunity to reconnect. Click here to join the Pioneer Square Business Owners and Managers Facebook page.

• Mayor Durkan has launched “Seattle Protects”, an online marketplace to connect local manufacturers and businesses with organizations, communities, and individuals in need of cloth face coverings. Seattle Protects seeks to help local organizations, businesses, and nonprofits struggling to find face coverings at the scale necessary to serve their workforce. Learn more here.