Resources and support for small businesses, workers and employees impacted by COVID-19.

I want to take this opportunity to raise awareness about emergency business resources now available to assist business owners and employees in Placer County during this critical time.

My heart goes out to everyone impacted by COVID-19, including business owners and their employees. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to close a business or lose a job due to no fault of your own.

Having owned a small business in Placer County I have deep understanding and empathy for small business owners. I have heard from many small business owners who say they are struggling to stay open, pay their employees or make sense of what the future holds.

Placer County is committed to helping our small business community through this crisis. Resources are now available, and people are standing by, ready to help.

Our Placer Business Resource Center is an excellent starting point for support. While our BRC building in Rocklin is closed in order to help slow the spread of COVID-19, BRC staff are available to support business interests and continue to support our community via phone.

Visit BRC’s COVID-19 Emergency Business Resources webpage for business, employer and employee resources at https://www.placer.ca.gov/businessresources or connect with a BRC team member at 916-770-8380.

The Emergency Business Resource web page also includes links to our Placer County Business Advantage Network and partners; which includes the Northern California Small Business Development Center, and the Sierra Small Business Development Center.

I strongly encourage businesses to take advantage of the free services available through the Sierra Small Business Development Center and U.S. Small Business Administration.

SBDC offers one-on-one appointments with business advisors, industry experts who can provide no-cost professional business advising in marketing, finance, accessing capital and more. These advisors can help business owners navigate U.S. Small Business Administration loan applications, help with financials, cash flow issues and more.

These advisors have a stake in our community because they are our community members, too. While face-to-face meetings with advisors are unavailable due to social distancing practices, advisors are available for phone appointments, so clients can receive help from the comfort of their own home or business.

SBDC also offers no-cost webinars featuring a wide-array of business-related topics, capital access and specialty programs.

Additionally, the U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to California small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the coronavirus.

Eligibility for economic injury disaster loans is based on the financial impact of the coronavirus.

I urge those who are worried about being laid off or looking for new employment to connect with our Placer County Business Advantage Network. BAN is a team of workforce development professionals that provide no-cost hiring assistance to businesses and information regarding training and hiring opportunities to job seekers.

I would also like to take this opportunity to implore community members to do their part to support our local business, while adhering to social distancing guidelines of maintaining six feet of distance between non-family members. Consider take-out from your neighborhood restaurant, tip generously or patronize your local farmers market.

I do have a favor to ask. Help spread the word about our Business Resource Center and share this article with your friends or family members who are business owners.

We are all in this together.

Warm Regards,

Supervisor Jim Holmes
           

Placer County Public Health is reporting that a second resident has died of COVID-19. This person, an elderly adult with several underlying health conditions, was a resident of South Placer County.  Learn more...

Per guidance from the state and federal governments and following extensive discussions with Placer's public health professionals, Placer County has temporarily suspended Planning Commission meetings in March.   Learn more...

Beginning March 27, we encourage all passengers to enter and exit from the rear (side) door of all Placer County Transit Vehicles.  While this measure is in place, fares will not be collected, and passengers will ride free of charge.  Learn more...