Councilman Mitch O’Farrell is working to help Hollywood businesses during the pandemic, and to bring tourists back after it subsides. (photo by Edwin Folven)

Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell joined a virtual town hall meeting with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 10 and discussed his 13th District Small Business Grant Program, which provides $5,000 grants to small businesses affected by COVID-19.

The application period runs from today, Aug. 13, through Monday, Aug. 17 at 11:59 p.m., and O’Farrell suggested business owners apply as soon as possible. The grants will be available to approximately 200 businesses selected at random through a lottery conducted by the Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department, which is managing the program.

“Our business community has faced a catastrophe and small businesses are in great distress, especially if there is a retail component. Restaurants, food service places, dry cleaners, you name it. If there is a retail component, our small businesses are hurting,” O’Farrell said. “Recently, I partnered with the city’s Economic and Workforce Development Department to launch the small business grant program that is specific to small businesses in the 13th District. For five days, applicants will be able to enroll. This money comes from me reprioritizing discretionary funding that would be available to the 13th District that we normally would use for things like public infrastructure projects, sidewalks, things like that. But if I can play a role in helping a few hundred businesses just stay open during COVID as we strive to get through this together, I will have helped. It’s really important to me.”

Requirements for the grants include having valid business licenses and tax status eligibility, as well as active status with California Secretary of State’s office. Only businesses with three to 26 employees in the 13th District affected by COVID-19 qualify. To register with the EWD and apply for a grant, visit cd13.lacity.org/grant. 

O’Farrell also cited other ways the city is helping, including a $100 million city rent relief program for tenants unable to pay rent because of COVID-19 hardships. The city used $100 million in federal CARES Act funding to create the program, which was administered in July. It provided $2,000 to approximately 50,000 households and the money was paid directly to landlords, which also provides relief for them, O’Farrell said.

The councilman also mentioned his Heart of Hollywood Initiative, which aims to improve the infrastructure in the Hollywood Entertainment District and along the Walk of Fame. Announced in January, it would create a master plan for the future of Hollywood. O’Farrell said his staff has been working closely with business owners and other constituents in Hollywood on potential projects that may be included in the initiative. The goal is to create a more vibrant experience for visitors and pedestrians, which will also help businesses, many of which have been closed during the pandemic.

“The Heart of Hollywood Initiative is my office’s full-time focus on economic development, world-class design and the strong sense of community in the historic core of Hollywood, mainly the entire Hollywood Walk of Fame,” O’Farrell said. “Again, this was pre-COVID, but we are still continuing this … because we will emerge from COVID-19 and we need to be ready for that. We are moving forward with that partnership between all of us stakeholders here in Hollywood, including residents.”

O’Farrell encouraged people interested in information about Heart of Hollywood to email Dan Halden, his office’s director of the initiative, at daniel.halden@lacity.org. Online roundtable meetings with updates on the initiative are held weekly.

“This area historically has been very dependent on tourism and has been hit hard because of that,” O’Farrell added. “Tourism is at unprecedented low levels because of COVID-19. We know public investment in improving public space is more important now than ever.”