The City of Hollywood’s Office of Communications, Marketing and Economic Development is compiling information to assist businesses throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact our team at 954.921.3620 or by email with your business-related questions. 

Business Recovery Resources

Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program
Managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), this bridge loan program will provide short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury from COVID-19. Applications are now being accepted through May 8, 2020. This will provide a source of working capital intended to help the business "bridge the gap" between the time of impact and when federal assistance is available. Apply here.

Loan Details:

• Amount: Up to $50,000 per eligible small business. Loans of up to $100,000 may be made in special cases as warranted by the need of the business.

• Term: Loans may be made for periods of up to one year.

• Interest: Loans will be interest-free for the term of the loan.

• Payments: Loans must be repaid in full by the maturity date of the established term.

• Qualifications: Applications will be accepted by qualified for-profit, privately held small businesses that maintain a place of business in the State of Florida. All qualified applicants must have been established prior to March 9, 2020, and suffered economic injury as a result of the designated disaster. Qualified small business applicants must be an employer business with 2 to 100 employees.

Short Time Compensation Program for Employees
The Short Time Compensation program helps employers retain their workforce in times of temporary slowdown by encouraging work sharing as an alternative to layoff. This program permits prorated reemployment assistance benefits to employees whose work hours and earnings are reduced as part of a Short Time Compensation plan to avoid total layoff of some employees. Apply here.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The program makes loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses and private, non-profit organizations in designated areas of a state or territory to help alleviate economic injury caused by COVID-19. Apply here.

Has COVID-19 affected your business? 
Take the Business Damage Assessment Survey.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) issued the Business Damage Assessment Survey to evaluate businesses affected by COVID-19 and the impacts the virus has had on the local economy. The survey’s feedback allows State Government to fully assess the economic impact COVID-19 is having on Florida businesses and industries, in order to mobilize the appropriate resources to help alleviate those pressures. The Business Damage Assessment Survey can be taken online. Results will be shared with state agencies and local partners, including the Small Business Administration. For inquiries and assistance with the survey, please contact ESF18@em.myflorida.com.

Hollywood Business Closures and Guidance

Bars and Nightclubs to Close for 30 Days
 
Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced new restrictions in an effort to reduce crowds and promote social distancing to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Effective 5:00 p.m. today, all bars and nightclubs in the State of Florida must suspend operations for 30 days.  This includes closing the bar area within a restaurant for direct service to patrons.
 
New Guidelines for Restaurants
 
Restaurants state-wide are also required to have a 50% capacity limitation, and dine-in seating must be staggered and limited to ensure seated parties are separated by at least six feet. Restaurants are mandated to screen employees for illness and/or COVID -19 exposure and prohibit entry for any employee who has a positive response to screening questions.
 
In addition to the capacity limitations and table spacing requirements, Hollywood restaurants City-wide must limit the number of people in their establishment to no more than 50 during all hours of operation. All dine-in service must end  at or before 10:00 p.m. each day and  must remain closed until  6:00 a.m. the following day.   Restaurants may remain open past 10:00 p.m. to provide delivery, take-out and drive through service only.  

Call Back Feature Facilitates Building Permit Consultations

To provide an option for residents to maintain healthy social distances and avoid crowds, the City’s Department of Development Services has worked with its queuing system vendor, Qless, to offer a “call back feature.” This enables residents, from the comfort and safety of their own homes or businesses, to log on, sign in, and have a building plans examiner call them at a set time to discuss potential comments or concerns regarding their building permit.  The call back service provides an alternative to face to face consultations.  Additionally, due to the current emergency, our field inspectors can use facetime and other video technologies to conduct “virtual inspections.”  This allows projects to continue moving forward while limiting person to person contact.  

For more details on these updates, please visit the City's website.

Schedule of Events 

• As a part of the Neighborhood Pride Program, the City of Hollywood’s Economic Development team launched its first series of Work Skills Training Scholarship Programs. All programming scheduled for the month of April is currently on schedule as planned. As the COVID-19 emergency continues to evolve, registered participants should continue to monitor the City’s website for the latest information regarding classes and workshops. 

• In partnership with the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the City’s Economic Development Team is planning a Facebook LIVE “COVID-19 Business Resources” event for a date and time this week. The goal of the event will be to address small business disruptions due to the outbreak. The discussion will focus on disaster programs currently available to small businesses at the State and Federal level and what information is needed to apply. Once the Facebook LIVE event is confirmed, we will share the day and time for business owners to participate.  

• Staff will continue to post the most up-to-date information on the City’s main website and our Economic Development website.

Additional Online Resources

Broward County - Business Assistance

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FDEO)

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

CareerSource Broward - COVID-19 Business Resources

Links to these established programs can be found on the City’s Economic Development website.

Please continue to monitor our websites: www.choosehollywoodfl.com and www.hollywoodfl.org for the latest updates.