They reopen the 10 freeway in downtown Los Angeles, but the challenge for Latino small business owners is just beginning, since some lost their entire assets and will have to start life from scratch.
The city opened the so-called Emergency Business Resources Center, at 500 South Central Avenue, where several dozen business owners began the bureaucratic and legal procedures to access low-interest loans or subsidies, so that their businesses can revive. from among the ashes caused by the fire of November 11.
The site will only be open until this Tuesday, from 9 am to 4:00 pm. If necessary, the attention would be extended, if people do not find out that they must come to fill out documents to have the possibility of having help.
“Whether the center remains open or not, there are 10 business resource centers in the city where people can get information,” said Carolyn Hall, general administrator of the Los Angeles Department of Workforce Development.
Hall reported that on the website www.ewddlacity.com those interested will be able to notice that they have opened a grant for microbusinesses.
“That grant will allow individuals and small businesses to apply to help them stay on their feet during this economic crisis,” he said.
The response in a timely manner to the need for financial aid for microentrepreneurs, of which a large majority are Latino, no one knows. Nobody has a clear answer.
“The promise is to make sure we can do everything we can,” said Councilman Kevin de León, representative of District 14 where the segment of Highway 10 that was damaged and is owned by the state, not the city, is located. city of Los Angeles.
“We will analyze the needs of the impacted business owners and negotiate with our state and federal government partners for financial assistance,” De León added.
De León acknowledged that the eight-day closure of the 10 Freeway, at Alameda Avenue, also caused a “tremendous impact” on hundreds of thousands of travelers in Southern California who depend on that vital artery for vehicle traffic. and merchandise, and the impact on small businesses was “devastating.”
In “Villas Auto Repair”, its owner José Luis Villamil Rodríguez, a Mexican from the state of Oaxaca, told La Opinión that the fire destroyed 10 cars that he had parked in his business.
With a face full of sadness, José Luis calculated that his total losses range between $90,000 and $100,000, because the cars he had were classics.
“It was worth damn. Everything burned, and the worst thing is that I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t have any paper or receipt to prove how much each car was worth. “All the documents were burned in the small office I had.”
Villamil Rodríguez, father of four daughters who are currently university students, has not yet had the opportunity to enter the place where his business has been for 11 years and check if his mechanic’s tools are still there.
Help with discretionary funds
The Emergency Business Resource Center will operate based on discretionary funds from Councilman Kevin de León’s office.
“This center will be a lifeline for affected businesses, helping them recover,” the official said. “Their success is integral to the well-being of our city and our economy.”
At the center, microentrepreneurs have access to a variety of resources from government agencies and staff who are guiding them through the process, connecting them with SBA loans, and also learn how to apply for micro grants to make payments.
“I lost almost $60,000 in fruits and vegetables,” Mario Trujillo Martínez, from Zapopan, Jalisco, who owned “Mario Citrus,” a business he managed more than a decade ago with his wife María Rosalba Reyes, told Real America News. , on the corner of 14th and Alameda streets.
Mario also lost a double-wheeled truck, with which he made his trips to buy oranges, lemons and vegetables in Santa Paula, in Santa Ventura County and Bakersfield.
Spread the word to others affected
For her part, Carol Parks, general manager of the Department of Emergency Management of the City of Los Angeles, made three requests to the owners of microbusinesses that suffered the devastating damage of the fire: that they visit in person the center that was opened in the Market Young’s, 500 South Central Avenue, and go to the page of forms that business owners must complete.
“We need to know the economic impact or other losses that business owners have from the highway closure, and lastly, help spread the word about this center and share the information with other business owners who have been affected ”.
“Mischaracterized”
Apex Development Inc., the Calabasas company that leased the space where the fire occurred on Highway 10, has refuted allegations of possible criminal involvement.
The company faces a lawsuit from Caltrans, for alleged non-payment of rent, alleging illegal subletting of the site, Apex denies the accusation and claims that they are unfairly blamed.
In turn, the company is suing the state of California for unreimbursed improvements it allegedly made on land leased by Caltrans.
Mainak D’Attaray, a lawyer representing Apex, issued a statement Wednesday night saying the company has not had access to the facility since October of this year.
Days after the fire, Gov. Gavin Newsom called Apex “bad actors,” saying the company was thousands of dollars behind in rent owed to the state and was illegally subletting the land.
“Whoever the members of that particular corporation are, they have been bad actors,” Newsom said. “We have been in a litigious situation for some time. “They stopped paying the rent.”
Apex’s statement addresses those allegations, saying that “Apex leased and improved the deteriorating yard and made significant capital investments during the period it had possession of the yard. Caltrans inspected the facilities at least annually, “and Caltrans was fully aware of the subtenants and their operations.”
Authorities say there was a homeless encampment near the property where the fire started, and although the cause was still being investigated, officials believed an arsonist was to blame.
“It is unfortunate that Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass used this incident to speculate and mischaracterize Apex and its principals as ‘bad actors,’” [con el objetivo de] to excuse their own failures to adequately address public safety issues caused by homelessness,” Apex said in its statement.
In search of an arsonist
Cal Fire authorities released photographs of a man, considered a subject of interest, who may have intentionally caused the fire under the 10 Freeway, whose exit ramp on Alameda Avenue remains closed.
The man, whose race is unknown, is approximately six feet tall and weighs between 170 and 190 pounds. He is between 30 and 35 years old, has black hair and as a particular sign you can see a possible burn on his left leg.
The subject was wearing a black jacket, blue shorts, gray shoes, a green scarf and a knee pad on his right foot.
CalFire believes the fire was arson. Tips or tips can be submitted anonymously to the CAL FIRE Arson Hotline at 1-800-468-4408 or arsonbomb@fire.ca.gov.