Photo: Aurelia Ventura / Impremedia/Real America News
Starting next month, the state of California will begin giving $2 grants,495 to street vendors affected by the covid-pandemic 19 and who have not qualified or have benefited from any relief program.
“The only criteria to give this support is that they must not earn more than $50,000 per year, and demonstrate that they have been operating for some time through an invoice for the purchase of materials”, said Araceli Campa, director of policies and external relations of the Office of Economic Development of Governor Gavin Newsom (GO-BIZ).
He specified in an interview with The Opinion that these subsidies will be delivered through the county through trusted community organizations such as the Coalition for Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), among others.
“As of February 1, we will provide a list with the names of all the organizations through which you can apply to receive these grants, and we will start receiving applications for the grant”, he said.
He explained that these aids are for micro-entrepreneurs such as paleteros, greengrocers, hotdogueros , eloteros and anyone who sells on public roads, regardless of immigration status.
“It was decided to give this support to microentrepreneurs because there have not been many for them during the pandemic, especially for the undocumented,” said Campa.
In total, Governor Gavin Newsom will allocate $50 millions to support around 11,000 microbusiness with $2,500 per one time only.
“The intention is to support the people who closed the doors of their small businesses and were unable to sell because of the pandemic. This subsidy will allow them to buy what is necessary to continue with their micro-enterprise”, he explained.
These supports are part of the many programs that the governor has established to assist small businesses during the pandemic.
Campa recalled that since December 2020, the governor has distributed more than $4, million among more than 300,000 businesses with profits of no more than $2.5 million to help them survive after the impact of the virus.
“This year $ were added millions to support small businesses that for some reason were left out of support and are on the waiting list”.
Also mo announced that beginning in July and until July of 2023, you will not have to pay for the registration of new businesses in the Secretary of State.
“Registration prices for corporations are $100 and $75 for companies with two or more partners”.
He also revealed that the governor has allocated $20 millions to support those who have been victims of theft, vandalism and violence during the pandemic.
“We are seeing the details to decide the amounts with which they will be assisted, but it is part of the effort to help these establishments that they have been victims of the wave of violent robberies that broke out in shopping malls and others”.
He added that they also work on ways to help businesses preventively to prevent them from being robbed, with a grant that allows them to buy security systems like cameras.
“This budget from Governor Newsom is putting a big focus on our community, on economic development and in giving more support to small businesses and workers”.
He emphasized that his office is available to offer support and free guidance to open new businesses.
For more information you can visit the websites:
https://business.ca.gov/
https://calosba.ca.gov/
Despite the covid pandemic-19, California maintains a huge budget surplus per $ 75,000 millions. Along with $19,000 million in federal aid from the CARES Act.
According to LA Street Vendor Campaign, there are close to 20, street vendors in Los Angeles County Angels earning, on average, $228 per week, $11,308 per year, and those who do not receive services from the government or institutions banking.
The 80% of street vendors in Los Angeles are women, immigrants, seniors, and people low income.
It is estimated that during the pandemic, they lost the 71% of your income.
The Small Business Relief Fund (Street Vendors) is supported by the Mayors of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose and Sacramento.
The initial proposal was that each business owner be eligible for a $5 grant,10 and the local jurisdictions could increase funding.