COVID-19 Weekly Update: September 1st, 2020

Pioneer Square Business Stakeholders-

The Alliance for Pioneer Square is working diligently to support the Pioneer Square community through the COVID-19 virus outbreak. This is part of a series of weekly messages outlining impacts and resources available. Find each weekly email to date on our website.

*Please see this week's new resources and opportunities highlighted in RED*

What's Happening

Gov. Jay Inslee has announced and updated guidance as part of Washington's Safe Start phased reopening plan for museums, bowling and outdoor recreation. Find a full list of current reopening guidance here.

The Alliance for Pioneer Square/Pioneer Square BIA is providing COVID-19 Retail Kits to Pioneer Square businesses, with funding from Historic South Downtown, in support of it's Pride and Resilience effort. The “Pioneer Square Welcome Back” kits will be available to all street-level businesses at two pick-up events on Friday, September 4. Find more information here. Note, the Welcome Kit pick up location has been changed from Alstadt to Cone and Steiner (135 S King St)

Reopening Resources

The Seattle Times has put together a list of restaurants offering takeout, delivery and/or dine-in service during the Coronavirus pandemic. If you’d like to submit your restaurant please fill out the form at the bottom of this page. This is a growing list that will be updated periodically.

After entering Phase 2 of Governor Inslee’s Safe Start Reopening Plan, Public Health – Seattle & King County is launching a new initiative to begin educational outreach and enforcement of Safe Start requirements for operating restaurants, bars, and taverns in an effort to keep businesses open and move King County forward through the Safe Start phases. Public Health’s Environmental Health Services Division has established the Safe Start for Taverns and Restaurants (SSTAR) program to conduct site visits at restaurants, bars, and taverns throughout King County. Read more here.

Visit Seattle has created the All Clear King County Pledge, a health and safety pledge that allows them to curate a list of businesses within King County that are making health and safety a top priority. Participating businesses will receive a toolkit with shareable digital badges, social media verbiage, and printable signage to signify their pledge promise and provide reassurance to customers. Review full guidelines and take the pledge 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.

Financial Resources

The GSBA and Comcast Washington have co-created the Ready for Business Fund to support small businesses. The fund grants $2,500 to selected small businesses that have experienced financial loss and hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, awardees will receive wrap-around support services from GSBA and Comcast (including GSBA membership, technical support, marketing, and consulting). The application closes on Friday, September 4, 2020. Learn more about the fund here.

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.

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.

Worker and Business Resources

*NEW* This month, the Alliance for Pioneer Square will host three new Grow with Google webinars to teach you how to help your customers find your business on google search and maps, connect with customers and manage your business remotely, and use YouTube to increase growth. Learn more and RSVP here. Last month, we hosted a three-part webinar series with Google on how businesses can reach customers online with Google, use data to drive growth, and make their business websites work. A copy of the presentation slides and recordings from all three events is available here.

*NEW* King County has created a new program to assist households economically impacted by the coronavirus due to illness, loss of income or unemployment who have been unable to meet rent obligations and are at risk for eviction. King County is accepting interest forms from tenants, small landlords, large property landlords and managers, manufactured home park owners and managers, and local nonprofits who wish to participate in a new Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program. Over $41 million is dedicated to helping local area residents. Learn more about the program here.

King County has partnered with Safeway and United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 21 to distribute 750,000 free face masks at Safeway locations throughout King County starting today. Click here for more information.

Last week, Council Member Andrew Lewis hosted a town hall with service providers and community leaders to discuss new ways to provide outreach and services to our neighbors living in unsanctioned encampments as well as the outreach services already done by nonprofits. The panel included; Executive Director Colleen Echohawk from the Chief Seattle Club, Executive Director Sharon Lee from the Low Income Housing Institute, Co-Director Chloe Gale from REACH, Alison Eisinger from the King County Coalition on Homelessness and a representative from The Urban League. View the recorded event here.

Kaiser Permanente Washington has partnered with Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) to provide a tuition-free executive education program and pro-bono business coaching to small-businesses across Washington. The program aims to help businesses build capacity, navigate the uncertainty of these times, and survive the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. Click here to learn more about the program and register.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has announced an extension to the moratorium on residential, nonprofit, and small businesses evictions in Seattle. The extension puts the moratorium in place through December 31, 2020 and while in place, property owners cannot issue eviction notices unless there is a threat to the health and safety of the community. The order also prohibits late fees due to late payments on rent. Find more information here..

Seattle City Light (SCL) is reaching out to local business communities to share information about resources and services offered in response to COVID-19 to help during these challenging times. In addition to flexible payment plans, SCL is offering bill deferral to all customers and free virtual energy assessment to identify energy saving tips to save customers money on their electricity bill. Learn more about eligibility and request Seattle City Light bill deferral or a virtual energy assessment here or call (206) 256-5200.

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.

Neighborhood Advocacy

*NEW* Last week, the Alliance for Pioneer Square called on our community to act in support of small businesses. We asked our community to voice support for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) drafted by Seattle Neighborhood Business Districts, including the Alliance, to redefine expectations for basic needs and safety measures to ensure clean, safe, welcoming and vibrant business districts. The MOU will assist in our efforts to effectively engage Seattle City Council and the Mayor's Office to usher a roadmap for a more prosperous future for all small businesses in Seattle. Read our call to action and voice your support here.

The Alliance for Pioneer Square will host a virtual information session on Friday, September 18th from 1:30-2:30p where we will be presenting on the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on Pioneer Square, and the Alliance’s response to support our neighborhood. RSVP here to attend (note, a Zoom link will be provided on Thursday, September 17th 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.

Partner Efforts

Bloodworks Northwest Seattle is hosting a blood drive at CenturyLink field between now and Friday, September 5 in the Verizon Lounge. Parking at the stadium is free. Masks are mandatory and donors must come in by appointment only. Make your next appointment by visiting BloodworksNW.org or call 800-398-888.

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.

Additional Resources

Between weekly messages please review our website, which features an in-depth series of resources intended to assist small business owners, managers, and employees impacted by the COVID-19 virus crisis, along with public health recommendations.

Please let us know how we might best support you. Feel free to contact any of us with comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns.

Sincerely,

The Alliance Team

ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE