Title
Provide Direction for Creating a COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force; and Recommendation to the City Manager regarding which Economic Development Advisory Panel members, and business/business association representatives, should to sit on the Task Force
Body
Date: May 14, 2020
To: Members of the Mayor’s Economic Development Advisory Panel
From: Lois Butler, Economic Development Manager
BACKGROUND
The global COVID-19 pandemic has prompted widespread public health and shelter-in-place restrictions, resulting in a sudden recession with unprecedented increases in unemployment and business closures. Particularly hard-hit are sectors supported by consumer spending. Retail, hospitality, and food services are considered among the most vulnerable sectors.
To date, the City of Alameda’s response to the economic crisis has focused on addressing the immediate challenges faced by our business community and workers:
1. Sharing information and promoting federal, state and local resources available to the business community and the general public. This includes:
a. Prominent, regularly updated pages on the city’s website dedicated to resources for business and workers, and lists of restaurants and essential services that are open for businesses.
(see <https://www.alamedaca.gov/ALERTS-COVID-19>)
b. A webinar series conducted in partnership with local business associations and the Chamber of Commerce. Past topics include accessing Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, and a session addressing human resources concerns for businesses impacted by COVID-19.
c. Zoom town hall meetings with the city’s senior management and elected officials
2. “At Your Service” program-helping individual businesses with permitting process, and connecting individual businesses to SBA and other specific resource representatives through our Business Assistance Hotline.
3. Deferred payment of sixty (60) day for business license tax, business improvement area (BIA) fees, and transient occupancy tax (TOT).
4. Emergency zoning changes-for example, to extend business hours for food related services and to make curbside pickup easier.
5. Small Business Relief Grant Program-established a $600,000 program offering emergency grants up to $7,500 to retailers, restaurants, and other small businesses.
6. Commercial and residential eviction moratorium-to protect residential and commercial tenants from being evicted for non-payment of rent due to a substantial loss of income/revenue because of COVID-19. The moratorium is in place until 30 days after the local emergency declaration is lifted.
7. Ninety-day rent deferral for tenants in city-owned commercial properties.
8. Creation of a community fundraising mechanism-soliciting donations from local residents, private entities, and foundations-to supplement the Small Business Relief Grant Program. The proposed community fund is scheduled to be presented to the City Council at its May 19, 2020 meeting.
9. Expansion of city’s homelessness and social service initiatives
a. Installation of 17 temporary sanitation stations throughout the city
b. Acquisition of four FEMA residential trailers to temporarily house homeless individuals
c. Redeployment of city staff to support increased demand at the Alameda Food Bank
d. Creation of a Domestic Violence Task Force to address the rise in domestic violence related to the pandemic.
DISCUSSION
As we move beyond immediate action and start to plan for longer-term resiliency and recovery, the city seeks the Economic Development Advisory Panel’s (EDAP’s) direction to create a COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force (Task Force). The EDAP recently oversaw a similar process to draft the Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP), a policy document to guide the city’s economic activities over the next five to ten years.
(For background information, attached as exhibits to this staff report are: 1) a McKinsey & Company COVID-19 report, and 2) a Cushman & Wakefield Recovery Readiness report.)
The Goal. The goal of the Task Force will be to create a short- to mid-term (12-24 months) plan to bolster economic recovery in Alameda as public health requirements shift and businesses start to re-open to the community under a “new normal.” The city expects the Task Force to quickly complete its work, by no later than the end of this year.
Objectives. The proposed objectives for the Task Force are to guide the city’s efforts as follows:
1. Facilitate general economic recovery in the city’s major business sectors, as identified in the EDSP;
2. Restore the city’s restaurant, retail and hospitality sectors;
3. Mitigate economic hardships that are already affecting the city’s most vulnerable residents;
4. Support non-profit organizations that provide fundamental services to Alameda residents;
5. Protect arts and culture resources as part of Alameda’s creative economy; and
6. Manage uncertainty with scenario planning options.
The city has put on hold its branding initiative-which was discussed at EDAP’s last meeting on December 5, 2019-and proposes to devote those funds to the city’s recovery efforts. Among other things, this may include hiring a consultant to facilitate the Task Force meetings.
Tonight, the city seeks the EDAP’s direction with:
1. Clarifying the Task Force’s goal and objectives; and
2. Identifying EDAP members and possible experts in the community to participate in as Task Force members. The list of proposed Task Force members will be presented to the City Manager for final approval. Given the urgency of the economic crisis, the city anticipates that the Task Force will meet a minimum of once to twice a month between June and December 2020.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that EDAP provide:
1. Direction to create a COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force; and
2. Recommendation to the City Manager regarding which EDAP members, and business/business association representatives, should to sit on the Task Force.
Respectfully submitted,
Lois Butler, Economic Development Manager
By Eric Fonstein
Development Manager
Exhibits
1. McKinsey & Company, COVID-19: Briefing Note, March 25, 2020.
2. Cushman & Wakefield, Recovery Readiness: A How-To Guide for Reopening Your Workplace, 2020.