City of Mesa Assistant Economic Development Director Jaye O'Donnell Unveils Updates on Small Business Assistance + "Re-Emergence" Program

In the 7-week COVID-19 Pandemic aftermath - or economic emergency - that shut down most downtown businesses who were waiting for that promised "Salvation Train" to arrive since 2014 in that Downtown Vision Thing, and after all the hype in January 2018 about Mesa's Rise as An Innovation District, and the designation of 8 census tracts in Downtown Mesa as distressed and neglected low-income neighborhoods, there's been only rampant real estate speculation along the the Central Business District extension of Valley Metro Light Rail with plans for market-rate and luxury housing.

Now more than 60 days after the impacts hit, the City of Mesa has got a $90,400,000 bucket of federal money to throw at the problems caused by years of over-promising economic development to support and benefit the public good.

Jay O'Donnell has a plan - starting on May 12th 
The City of Mesa does not have a business registry 
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SLIDE 10: Small Business Reemergence Program 
Goals of the Mesa CARES Program: 
• Help as many Mesa-based businesses as possible and still provide meaningful assistance 
• Prioritize assistance for businesses who did NOT receive CARES Act funding 
• Prioritize assistance for businesses who were mandated to close or forced to significantly modify their operations due to Executive Order 
• Distribute the funds directly to businesses quickly, efficiently, and within the guidelines of the CARES Act. 
• Provide technical assistance to businesses for marketing, safety and health training, workforce development, website development, disaster preparedness, facility re-design and modification, etc.

SLIDE 12: Small Business Reemergence Program Recommendations based on CARES guidelines and needs assessment 
• Relief and reemergence program to reimburse business interruption 
• Intent is to help businesses planning to re-open or get back to full operation 
• Grant to eligible businesses will cover monthly essential operating expenses (up to 90 days): 
o Utilities (electric, natural gas, water, waste, cable, telecom) 
o Rent or mortgage payments 
• Supporting documentation will be required 
• Awards will most likely be capped at a few different “tiers”

Note: to date we have no hard data on what the financial impacts are for any of the six council districts from the City of Mesa.
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But we do have stories - here's just one
"Mesa readies lifeline for local businesses"
By Jim Walsh, Tribune Staff Writer

File #20-0516 

Mesa CARES Small Business Reemergence Program (14)

Jaye O’Donnell | Assistant Economic Development Director

(Mesa City Council Thu 30 April 2020)

THE REAL PRESENTATION

Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on an update on the Mesa CARES program, focusing on the Mesa CARES Small Business Assistance and Reemergence Program. 

Here's the link > Presentation 14 Power Point slides

Mesa CARES Small Business 

Reemergence Program 

Jaye O’Donnell | Assistant Economic Development Director City of Mesa City Council Study Session | 4.30.20

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Excerpts from the story in the East Valley Tribune:

"Mesa plans to throw a financial lifeline to businesses struggling in the downturn unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the form of grants mainly to small businesses that have not received other forms of federal relief.

The Mesa Small Business Reemergence Plan would tap into the $90 million allocation Mesa received from the Coronavirus Relief Fund approved by Congress in the federal CARES Act. . .

The grants, part of the Mesa Cares COVID-19 relief efforts, are intended to tide over businesses that have been heavily impacted by the pandemic and that hope to re-open once social distancing restrictions are relaxed.

City Manager Chris Brady said he has tentatively earmarked about 20 percent of the Mesa’s relief fund money to business survival – which would account for about $18 million – though the total will depend on demand and level of need.

Several equally-as-large buckets of relief money would go toward the food security plan unveiled a week ago and a household assistance program that is still under development. . . "

READ MORE > East Valley Trib Sun 05.03.2020 

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