Dear Friends and Neighbors,
King County might be home to some of the biggest businesses in the nation, but it's our small and family-owned businesses that are the backbone of our communities. From Seattle to Snoqualmie, they provide the essential character of our biggest cities and smallest towns.
As we all know, the spread of coronavirus has devastated our small businesses. But today marks an important day in our ability to fight back and stabilize these vital employers and drivers of our economy.
As of this morning, nearly $350 billion in loans are now available to small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 crisis. The money, dubbed the Paycheck Protection Program, is part of the coronavirus relief plan from Congress and makes loans of up to $10 million (up to 2.5 times their total monthly payroll) available to businesses with fewer than 500 employees (based on pre-COVID-19 payroll numbers).
Business owners can find more information on the SBA’s website or by contacting their preferred lender. Additionally, small businesses with temporary revenue loss can get up to $10,000 through an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. Again, any business with fewer than 500 employees is eligible and the funds need not be repaid. Information about this program is available here.
My staff is working to quickly gather all these resources in one place, and we will be adding more information about these programs and others to our Get Help page.
Governor Inslee Extends Stay-at-Home Order Until May 4
Gov. Jay Inslee announced at a press conference Thursday evening that the stay-at-home order is being extended to May 4. He said he is confident in the steps we have already taken, but we “cannot lose steam in this fight.” He added: “Science is clear: more people will die if we stop now.”
There are no new restrictions in the extension of the order.
For more information on the order and how it could impact you, go to coronavirus.wa.gov.
Domestic violence during COVID-19 crisis
Domestic violence victims and survivors are often more vulnerable in times of crisis and need our support now more than ever. Social distancing may increase isolation and exacerbate abusive dynamics, while established safety plans, coping strategies, and community resources may be less available, especially for those who are already impacted by social inequities. We all have a role to play in creating safe communities, and friends and family are always welcome to call for support and resources to help their loved ones. If you are experiencing violence or feel unsafe at home, please reach out for help and support.
King County’s domestic and sexual violence survivor service programs are working together in this crisis to ensure the least disruption of services possible. Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence (CEGBV) staff have been connecting with survivor service programs to solve problems, provide information and resources, and help programs meet survivors' needs. Please visit the Coalition’s website at www.endgv.org for updates and a list of local resources. All services can be accessed through one of the County’s 24-hour hotlines.
King County Hotlines available 24/7:
Domestic Violence
Sexual Assault
Peace in the Home Helpline (available for DV and SA in multiple languages): 1-888-847-7205
Latest Statistics on Confirmed Tests, Deaths, and Recoveries
Locally, Public Health - Seattle & King County is reporting the following estimated positive cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 2:30 p.m. on 4/3/20. More details and a range of information can be found on Public Health’s dashboard.
- 2787 estimated positive cases (up 131 from yesterday)
- 186 estimated deaths (up 11 from yesterday)
You can find figures from around the world here.
Inspiring Video of Seattle’s Eerily Empty Streets
I found this clip from the Downtown Seattle Association to be quite uplifting in these surreal times. There is a method to this madness. Indeed, Seattle and King County—"we got this.”
Metro plans further service reductions
Due to decreased ridership spurred by the COVID-19 crisis, last week Metro moved to a reduced schedule, which was about 20-25% of regular weekday service. The purpose of that shift was to maintain a resilient and sustainable transit system able to keep our region moving as much as possible. Due to a variety of factors, Metro is planning to further reduce service, effective Monday, April 6.
The revised Reduced Schedule identifies routes that will operate with fewer trips and hours. This updated schedule will maintain vital lifelines for access to critical supplies, services, and worksites across the region.
For more information and to find out which routes will be impacted by service reductions, please click the following link: https://kingcountymetro.blog/2020/04/03/covid-19-further-metro-and-sound-transit-service-reductions-begin-monday-april-6-to-support-essential-travel-and-transit-workforce/
Metro ridership update
Preliminary ridership data from the past month shows a continued decline as more people limit themselves to “essential travel” to grocery stores, pharmacies, and worksites that serve the community.
King County Metro analyzed preliminary extrapolations to create an unofficial estimate of ridership. During the week of March 23-27, ridership was down as much as 72% compared to the same window of time in 2019. Similarly, the dip was estimated to be about 74% fewer riders on Metro’s Access paratransit service as demand decreased.
Water taxi routes also are seeing significantly reduced ridership, with 93% fewer riders than at the beginning of the month.
You can read more in the Metro Matters blog by clicking the following link: https://kingcountymetro.blog/2020/04/01/covid-19-update-estimated-bus-ridership-down-72-as-people-focus-on-essential-travel/
Additional helpful and informative links
Keep in Touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my daily update. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here. You can also visit my Facebook page for the latest info.
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Be well, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Jeanne
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