News Summary
Los Angeles County has introduced a Small Business Resiliency Fund offering $5,000 to assist small businesses affected by immigration enforcement activities. This initiative, announced by County Chair Pro Tem Hilda L. Solis, aims to alleviate financial burdens faced by local enterprises since disruptions started in June. The program targets small, immigrant- and family-owned businesses, providing support for rent, wages, inventory, and more. Applications are open until October 31, with community organizations offering multilingual assistance in navigating the funding process.
Los Angeles County has launched a Small Business Resiliency Fund to help small businesses affected by recent federal immigration enforcement activities. This fund offers $5,000 in cash assistance to eligible businesses and was announced by County Chair Pro Tem Hilda L. Solis. The program aims to relieve the financial burdens many local enterprises face due to disruptions linked to enforcement actions that began on June 6. Applications for the fund have opened this week and will close on October 31.
The Small Business Resiliency Fund targets small businesses in downtown Los Angeles and surrounding communities, particularly those that are immigrant- and family-owned. These areas experienced significant impacts from enforcement raids in June, leading to forced closures, labor shortages, and substantial revenue losses caused by curfews and protests. Given the economic significance of the downtown area—accounting for approximately $72.6 billion in economic output and supporting over 284,000 jobs—the initiative is seen as crucial for community stability.
The fund has a budget of $1.8 million and is designed to cover various eligible expenses such as rent, employee wages, inventory restocking, equipment repairs, debt repayment, and marketing costs. It is particularly designed to assist those businesses that can demonstrate they were impacted by events related to immigration enforcement. More than 19,000 businesses in downtown Los Angeles reported disruptions due to civil unrest related to the enforcement actions, with over 3,700 retail enterprises facing significant challenges.
The importance of this initiative is underscored by statistics indicating that nearly 25% of undocumented workers in Los Angeles County are employed in the retail sector, highlighting the industry’s vulnerability to immigration enforcement. As part of the application process, community-based organizations will provide support and multilingual technical assistance to help applicants navigate the funding requirements.
It is noted that, due to the limited initial funding, eligible applicants who are not selected for immediate funding may be placed on a waitlist for potential future opportunities. This move aims to ensure that as many businesses as possible receive support, even if current resources are constrained.
The funding for the Small Business Resiliency Fund is provided through the county’s Care First Community Investment program. Contributions from organizations and foundations are also welcomed to expand the initiative and its reach.
For detailed application processes and further information, interested businesses are directed to visit opportunity.lacounty.gov/resiliencyfund.
In summary, the launch of the Small Business Resiliency Fund in Los Angeles County is a response to the significant disruptions caused by immigration enforcement activities. By offering financial support to small businesses, the county aims to stabilize the local economy and assist those most affected in their recovery efforts.
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Additional Resources
- Santa Monica Daily Press: Small Business Resiliency Fund Announcement
- LAist: LA County Launches New Fund for Small Business Help
- Culver City Crossroads: Support for Small Businesses Impacted by Raids
- California News: Cash Assistance for Businesses Impacted by ICE Raids
- Wikipedia: Small Business
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