Economic Development Newsletter
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A Message from Estelle Bussa
Economic Development Manager
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The City of Ventura's Economic Development Division is committed to providing local businesses with timely information and resources to help our community navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay connected at the City's
Economic Development webpage
.
NEW INDUSTRY GUIDANCE:
Additional industries have been posted by the State and County.
Barbershops and Hair Salons are now able to re-open
in accordance with the guidance. Please visit
www.VCReopens.com
for information on specific industry guidelines and to register your business.
RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS:
The County of Ventura will be conducting COVID-19 Prevention Plan reviews with our local restaurants. This is slightly different than other industry businesses that are currently being visited by our local City of Ventura Code Enforcement Division.
For questions regarding any local visits, please contact the Compliance Hotline at 1(844) VC OPENS or 1(844) 826-7367.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE REOPENING?
- Upon reviewing the guidance, complete a detailed risk assessment of your business in accordance with the state guidelines.
- Complete a written worksite-specific COVID-19 Prevention Plan and post it at your business.
- Implement the prevention measures identified in your worksite-specific COVID-19 Prevention Plan.
- Designate an on-duty employee responsible for monitoring compliance with your plan.
- Complete the attestation form at:
- www.vcemergency.com/business-attestation.
- Post the COVID compliance hotline contact information on a flyer in an area where customers can easily view it.
Additionally, on Tuesday, May 26, at an emergency City Council meeting, the City Council voted to reopen beaches and parks for leisure activity, while minding social distancing efforts. Please refer to the section below for detailed information. For other City updates, visit
cityofventura.ca.gov/COVID-19. For Ventura County or Public Health information, visit
VCEmergency.com.
On behalf of the City of Ventura, thank you for your resiliency and willingness to adapt to new ways of doing business and helping support one other.
Stay safe and healthy Ventura,
Economic Development Manager
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City of Ventura Eases Restrictions at Local Parks and Beaches
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On Tuesday, May 26, 2020, the
Ventura City Council
unanimously voted to ease limited closure restrictions of Ventura's beaches and parks. The City's decision provides access to its parks, beaches, the Promenade, Pier, public restrooms, and select parking lots.
Beginning Friday, May 29, 2020
, Ventura's parks and beaches will transition from active, recreational use (walking, jogging, swimming and surfing) to passive use, such as sitting and sunbathing as long as the public maintains a safe physical distance of six feet and avoids congregating in large groups outside of their immediate household. Please note that group activities such as volleyball, football, soccer, and other contact sports are not allowed at this time.
Click
HERE
for additional information on beach and park openings.
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Current Federal Programs & Benefits Available
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Paycheck Protection Program UPDATE
– The Paycheck Protection Loan Forgiveness Application is now available,
click here
.
The SBA's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is still open and accepting new applications. This SBA loan program may be accessed through any bank that currently issues SBA 7a guarantee loans. To find an approved lender visit this
link
.
This program will be available retroactive from Feb. 15, 2020, so employers can rehire their recently laid-off employees through June 30, 2020. NOTE: For more information please visit the
SBA website
. For frequently asked questions please visit the
U.S. Department of Treasury
.
As a reminder, there are six federal programs available and administered by the Employment Development Department (EDD) or Small Business Administration (SBA).
3 Things to Know about the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
- The SBA has released a form and instructions to inform borrowers how to apply for forgiveness of their PPP loans, consistent with the CARES Act. For the Paycheck Protection Loan Forgiveness Application visit here.
- PPP is still open and accepting applications. We encourage all seeking additional capital to apply (see detailed information below).
- EDC SBDC advisors can assist businesses in the application process and provide financial consulting at no cost. CALL 805.409.9159 (ENGLISH) or 805.309.5874 (SPANISH) to schedule an appointment.
*NOTE: The City’s Economic Development Division, in partnership with the EDC, will try to answer loans and disaster relief aid questions, however, we are not experts.
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Local Disaster Relief Options
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The
EDC
serves Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and created the EDC Disaster Loan Fund, which offers applicants 4.25% interest loans from $5,000- $50, for 48 months, to give a cash flow boost to businesses impacted by reduced sales, supply chain disruption or other challenges related to COVID-19.
In addition, EDC provides free business consultations on how to deal with COVID-19 disruptions. They’ve also created a
COVID-19 Business Resource Guide
that is applicable to employers, employees, and self-employed individuals. The EDC is also hosting weekly webinars on local, state and federal resources.
WEV
has set up a
Quick Response Loan
program where applicants can have access to up to $10,000 at a 4.5% interest rate for 36 months, no fees, no payments for the first three months. WEV also provides
resources
and weekly webinars for navigating through the COVID crisis.
The
Ventura County Community Foundation
(VCCF) has launched the Ventura County Rapid Response Fund to support
non-profit
organizations, addressing the needs of individuals and families with food and housing support, childcare, wage replacement, mental health care, and more.
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The
County of Ventura
has created a one-stop shop for information relating to County issued ‘Stay Well at Home Orders’, COVID-19 updates from Ventura County Public Health, FAQ’s, information for seniors, homelessness and housing, and much more.
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CITY OF VENTURA
501 Poli St, Ventura, CA 93001
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HERE
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