In case you missed last week's email blast, see it here.

On March 17th you could hear the loud noise and celebration throughout the county in restaurants serving food and beverages (including green beer) to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day, the special day people could finally dine inside restaurants, with a specified capacity and do much more! March 17th had a special meaning for some of the following businesses: restaurants, gyms, fitness centers, museums, zoos, places of worship, aquariums, movie theaters and retail shopping to name a few. These businesses are now able to offer/open or increase the capacity within their locations.

You can now dine INDOORS at your favorite restaurant. However, the maximum capacity is 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer. So now dine indoors or outdoors at a restaurant of your choice.

Capacity has been increased to 50%. Enjoy shopping in your retail location.

Has increased to 50% capacity.

Now open for indoor activities with modifications. Indoor activities now allowed with a 25% maximum capacity.

Now open indoors with modifications with a maximum capacity of 25%.

Now can offer indoor entertainment. Capacity allowed is 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Now open for indoor classes with modifications. Maximum capacity is 10%. Climbing walls are now added for exercise.

Outdoor Live Events with Assigned Seating & Controlled Mixing (e.g. sports & live performances):

Max 20% capacity includes suites with 25% occupancy per suite and suites no more than 3 households. In-state visitors only, advanced reservations only. Primarily in-seat concessions (no concourse sales).

Maximum 15%. Small groups – Max. 10 people or 3 household groups with no intergroup mixing. Indoor capacity max 15% with some time restrictions. No indoor dining. In-state visitors only. Online ticket purchases only.

The Emergency Assistance Program has been extended through March 31, 2021.

This program is open to San Diego residents impacted by COVID-19 who need help paying rent and utilities.

For more information visit: www.sdhcd.org or call (858) 694-4801 to speak to a housing representative

Eligible landlord and renters can apply for financial assistance with unpaid rent. Applications are now open at housing.ca.gov/covid_rr.

For additional information on eligibility call 833-430-2122 for questions and/or application assistance.

One of the most significant recent developments in the American Rescue Plan is the creation of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). This new $28.5 billion grant program will specifically target hard-hit restaurants and bars, with restaurants able to apply for grants based on lost gross revenue between 2019 and 2020. The maximum grant size will be $5 million for restaurants and $10 million for restaurant groups.

By estimates, the restaurant and bar industry have been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. This industry has lost $250 billion in revenues since the beginning of the pandemic and the passage of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund is an industry-specific solution. The SBA will administer and disperse the RRF grant, but the program does not yet have a launch date.

The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, and amended by the American Rescue Plan Act. This program will offer aid to live venues, including movie theaters, concert spaces and museums. The program includes over $16 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.

Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45% of hi gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees.

The Families First Coronavirus Rescue Plan Act (FFCRA) and the requirement employers provide emergency paid sick leave and emergency family and medical leave expired at the end of 2020. Around the same time FFCRA ended, Congress passed an extension of the tax credit for employers who volunteered to provide emergency leave through March 31, 2021. The American Response Act extends that tax credit to employers who opt to continue providing FFCRA leave from the end of March to September 30, 2021.

FFCRA-related emergency paid sick leave, and emergency paid family, and medical leave is provided for reasons including:

The Act provides $7 billion to the PPP to help small businesses with the possibility of 100% loan forgiveness. The bill has been expanded to nonprofit organizations and some businesses may be eligible for a second loan from this program.

Businesses with less than 10 employees will be given priority. $15 billion in funds will be distributed to the EIDL Advance program to help businesses experiencing revenue losses resulting from COVID-19. Businesses could receive assistance to help cover financial and operating costs due to the pandemic.

The American Rescue Plan Act extends and increases the previous unemployment benefits that were provided under the CARES Act and the previous stimulus package (expiring this month). Several items to note:

The federal government will be sending up to $1,400 in stimulus checks to individuals making less than $75,000 (or $150,000 for those filing jointly).

Is your business growing in the state of CA over the next 5 years, or considering leaving CA?

Apply for a significant tax credit to offset your state income tax liability by March 29th

For more information on eligibility and assistance: business.ca.gov/california-competes-tax-credit

Small businesses & non-profits applications Round 5: March 25th – March 31st

Learn more at CAReliefGrant.com for eligibility, criteria & updates.

SBA will continue to accept PPP applications for all eligible borrowers until March 31.

The federal COVID-19 relief bill signed into law provides more than $600 million to cities in San Diego County to help them cover deficits created by shrinking revenue during the pandemic.

The money, ranging from $306 million for the city of San Diego to $800,000 for Del Mar, will help cities avoid layoffs and cuts to services such as libraries, firefighting, police and parks.

The amounts awarded to each city are based on a federal formula that factors in a city’s poverty rate, population and how much crowded housing it has. The formula does not prioritize tourism-reliant cities like Carlsbad and Coronado, which have been hit hardest financially because of hotel tax revenue has dipped severely. The property tax makes up for 50% of the federal formula. Overall population accounts for 25%, and the final 25% is based on the number of housing units with high ratios of people to square footage. Based on the formula, the City of La Mesa is scheduled to receive $11.1 million. The money can’t be spent to offset tax cuts or pay for pensions and it must all be spent by 2024.

The money will be doled out by the Treasury Department, which will develop rules for use of the funds before distributing the first half in about 60 days, with the second half arriving one year later. Source: The San Diego Union Tribune – David Garrick.

The California Legislature on March 18th to expand paid sick leave for about 10.4 million workers, sending a bill to the Governor that mandates up to two weeks of paid time for things like having coronavirus symptoms, scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine or caring for a child who is doing school at home. The bill, if signed into law, applies to companies with at least 25 employees. The rules would expire on September 30th but are retroactive to January 1. Some companies would have to pay their workers for time off they have already taken. But many companies can get that money back from the federal government. Companies can get a payroll tax credit of up to $511 per day for each employee that takes the paid sick leave. The tax credit is enough to cover workers who make $60 an hour or less, according to Democratic, state Senator Nancy Skinner, the bill’s primary author. The money comes from a significant state surplus, estimated at about $15 billion, which will soon be augmented by another $26 billion in federal aid. But California’s small businesses have not fared well weathering multiple government-ordered shutdowns throughout the state. Small business revenue is down 29% since January 2020, while the number of small businesses open has fallen by more than 34%. Source: The San Diego Union Tribune – Adam Beam.

The County of San Diego is seeking input from residents on how best to use the anticipated federal stimulus funds, an estimated $650 million to be distributed under the American Rescue Plan bill. As a County, significant money has been used setting up the vaccine distribution sites, staff and supplies, totaling a cost of more than $100 million. Previous COVID-19 funding was used for small business grants, food services, childcare services, and income stipends. Supervisors would like residents to be a part of that conversation. Each Supervisor is holding a Community Workshop to hear from residents about needs and thoughts regarding this funding.

Our District 2 Community Workshop was already held. For those of you who could not attend the virtual meeting and would like to share your opinion on these funds, please send your comments directly to Supervisor Anderson at: www.supervisorjoelanderson.com/content/d2/us/en/contact.html

This past week, the Board of Supervisors met for our regularly scheduled board meetings. We covered a number of agenda items, including voting on a long-term lease at Gillespie Field, which passed unanimously.

Our team is proud of the work we accomplished this week. I am personally grateful to my board colleagues for working with me on several measures. Through this lease approval, we hope to bring hundreds of jobs to East County!

Below are some additional highlights from the week. As always, if there is ever any way my office can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to reach out using the contact form on my website. You may also view the newsletter here.

Supervisor Joel Anderson and his Board colleagues unanimously approved a long-term lease of County-owned property near the Gillespie Field trolley stop that will allow this location to serve as a new e-commerce distribution center in East County.

"This is such great news," said Supervisor Anderson. "For many, many years, we have worked tirelessly to develop the business potential at Gillespie Field. I want to thank my Board colleagues— for their leadership and support. Today's action is an important first step in bringing more good-paying jobs to East County-- a community that has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. I am confident this lease will serve as a springboard for future economic growth as business leaders recognize that East County is open for business!"

Supervisor Anderson, along with his colleague Supervisor Desmond of the 5th district, proposed a board letter that would enhance wildfire safety on county roads. Fire hazards represent a high-level threat to individuals and property located in the unincorporated areas of the County. The board letter, which was approved, will direct the Chief Administrative Officer to identify public roads where twenty feet (previously ten feet) of vegetation clearing should occur to enhance public safety.

Grossmont Healthcare District CEO Barry Jantz is entering retirement and Supervisor Joel Anderson provided him with a County proclamation to congratulate him. Barry has been an outstanding member of the East County community and has accomplished many remarkable things throughout his career. Watch the proclamation presentation below!

Certifications and continuing education units are available for many of the classes. Check out the class listing at seminars.sdge.com.

Have you filled out the simple form online to advertise your business for FREE? The San Diego Union Tribune has created an opportunity for businesses to let the public know - “Yes, We’re Open.” This business marketing campaign lists your business name, address, phone number and website in ads they print in the newspaper and their online directory.

Sign up NOW - visit SanDiegoUnionTribune.com/OpenForBusiness to fill out the form to list your business in print and online – FREE!

If you need help or questions - call Mary England 619-251-7730 and we will be glad to assist you!

You are able to order food for “take out” and you may “pick up” meals at these restaurants. You may check the websites of these restaurants to see what food delivery services they use to make your dining experience easy and convenient.