Friends,

This past weekend, our City like many others across the country, witnessed a public outcry for justice. Many organized protests and demonstrations happened in downtown Seattle, the CID, and other neighboring cities to mourn the loss of George Floyd and others that have died unjustly—and called for the ending of police violence. The escalating tensions in cities across our country are the result of years of institutionalized racism, police violence, and other racialized injustices that put Black and Brown communities in harm’s way. The outcry of this weekend has elevated the need for change both at home and abroad.

Unfortunately, some individuals co-opted peaceful demonstrations to engage in chaotic and destructive behavior. Cars were burned, projectiles were thrown at our officers, businesses were looted, and properties were damaged. These behaviors put at risk the safety of protesters, law enforcement and others, and added insult to injury for many of you in our business community who are already struggling due to COVID-19. Despite the escalated behavior of some, Sunday brought together City and community volunteers who joined forces to clean up and restore our beautiful City and the businesses that were impacted. These efforts displayed the overwhelming good nature and spirit of community we have here in Seattle, and I am proud to have witnessed this.

OED remains vigilant in our advocacy and support of small businesses, creatives, workers, and business districts. We will continue to amplify the voices of workers and business owners as we respond to COVID-19, restore damages caused by a destructive few, and work toward building an inclusive economy for our City—where all people, especially communities excluded from the economic prosperity of our City and region, can thrive. Businesses, workers, creatives, and business districts are the backbone of our economy. Together, we can all work to dismantle racism and white supremacy that has created the social and economic conditions to which communities must protest. Together, we can also work together to ensure businesses are protected from the actions of those that seek to be destructive, creating additional hardships on businesses. We are in this together. Thank you for your partnership and the work you do every day.

Take care,

Bobby Lee

Director of Seattle Office of Economic Development 

Mayor Jenny Durkan signed an Emergency Order to place a temporary citywide curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., each night between Tuesday, June 2 through Saturday morning. During these hours, residents and visitors should remain in their home to the extent possible and should refrain from traveling in and through the entire City of Seattle.

The curfew is intended to prevent violence and widespread property damage, and to prevent the further community spread of COVID-19 through continued gathering. The City encourages all residents to sign up for Alert Seattle to receive notifications about the curfew directly to their mobile device.  Read more

Curfew Information in Amharic, Chinese, Korean, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese

Frequently Asked Questions 

Previous Neighborhood Business District Webinar on securing your business

King County submitted a plan to the state Department of Health that would allow limited and modified openings for a wide range of businesses and personal activities.

Highlights include: 

• Allow all outdoor recreation permitted in Phase 2 
• Expand opening indoor fitness studios for one-on-one activities
• Allow restaurants to begin opening indoor seating at 25% capacity 
• Allow hair stylists and other personal services at 25% capacity

As part of the Safe Start Washington plan, counties will need to meet targets such as the number of cases and hospitalizations, current testing capacity, and the status of our health care system. Public Health – Seattle & King County published a new data dashboard that tracks key indicators of COVID-19 activity in King County. These indicators are intended to provide easily accessible and transparent information to the public about King County’s current COVID-19 activity, and to help guide public health decision making regarding when to adjust physical distancing requirements. For more resources and information: 

Mayor Durkan's Statement on Governor's Update to Safe Start Washington

Governor COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses and Worker

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries 

The Office of Economic Development (OED) has received numerous reports of scammers posing as either lenders or providers offering to help businesses with their federal Small Business Administration (SBA) loan applications. 

Signs of Scams and Frauds

Report Scams and Fraud

If you suspect a scam: report the activity to the Washington State Office of Attorney General, by calling 1-800-551-4636 from Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or by completing a claim at https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/ComplaintForm.aspx.

The City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development (OED) partnered with Communities Rise and Perkins Coie to launch a new toolkit to help small businesses and nonprofit organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic explore options for their commercial leases with a goal of remaining in their spaces. The COVID-19 Lease Amendment Toolkit for small businesses and nonprofits provides a suite of tools – including template lease amendment language – to assist small businesses and nonprofits who are navigating the negotiation of their commercial leases with their landlords. The toolkit will also help small businesses and nonprofits understand the full range of policies in place to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Small businesses and nonprofits that have 50 or fewer employees are also eligible for a free, 60-minute consultation with a legal professional to assist with any COVID-19 commercial lease-related questions.

COVID-19 Lease Amendment Toolkit

Stay up-to-date by visiting our resource hub and reading our weekly Resource Roundup blog! With loans and grants available at the state and federal level, OED has created a comprehensive resource page for workers and small businesses impacted by COVID-19, and is providing technical assistance to support our small businesses. Our weekly blog provides you with news and information about new policies and resources available from the City of Seattle, the State of Washington, the federal government, and our philanthropic partners

OED Resource Hub                             OED Bottom Line Blog

The permit restriction extension to May 31 impacts many small businesses in the creative industries. The Office of Film + Music has provided updated resource pages, check them out at:

COVID-19 Film Guidance and Updates

Seattle Event Permitting During COVID-19

COVID-19 Music + Nightlife Updates + Resources 

In solidarity with Black community members, small acts can have a tremendous impact against racism and injustice. Supporting black-owned businesses is one way of investing in your local community. 

Looking for a Black-owned business to support? Check out these lists:

Intentionalsit

Essential SE Seattle

Seattle Met

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) staff and community volunteers worked throughout the day and into the night to clean up graffiti and board up businesses in the Chinatown-International District and Little Saigon Neighborhood in anticipation of additional protests. 

OED worked closely with SPU and community partners Chinatown Business Improvement Association, Seattle Chinatown-International District Preservation and Development Authority, and Friends of Little Saigon to assist businesses.