March 20, 2020

We Are Here For Your Hollywood Business

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

The City Urges its Business Community to Evaluate the Short-Term Compensation Program in an Effort to Curtail Major Layoffs

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.

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 will be 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.

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.

Hospitality Industry Resources

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau has compiled resources to assist the hospitality industry.
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau information on COVID-19

Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance

Businesses can request a virtual meeting with the Alliance regarding business preservation assistance, including low- or no-interest loan opportunities and short time compensation for employers. Additionally the Alliance has compiled business resources that can be found on the its website:
COVID-19 Business Resources and Information

New Information on Federal Economic Relief

Summary of Federal Coronavirus Relief Legislation

1^st Bill signed into law: Signed into law on March 6^th, was largely dedicated to funding healthcare preparation to fight the virus, as well as vaccine research. There was some money in there for "telehealth," or remote doctor visits, but it was mostly not a bill for consumers.
2^nd Bill signed into law: Signed into law on March 18^th and provides the following notable provisions:
- $500 million in additional funding for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program
- $400 million in additional funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program
- $82 million in additional funding for the Defense Health Program
- $250 million in additional funding for food programs, including home delivery food programs, for the elderly and disabled
- Waivers to some requirements for school lunch programs
- Waivers to work requirements to be eligible for SNAP food programs
- New, temporary requirements that employers with more than 20 employees offer some paid sick leave time to their employees
- Extensions to, and additional funds for, unemployment benefits
- Free COVID-19 testing without co-pays or deductibles
3^rd Bill: Negotiations begin today (3/20). Notable provisions being considered:
- Small Business Administration low interest 7(a) loans could be available to “any business concern, private nonprofit organization, or public nonprofit organization which employs not more than 500 employees”, upwards of $10 million
- A potential individual $1,200 tax rebate for individuals who earned $75,000 or less in 2018, or $2,400 for a joint filing
- Up to $500 billion in loans for small businesses and industries hardest hit by COVID-19
- A potential delay of estimated tax payments for corporations
- A potential delay of payment of employer payroll taxes
- Expanded Telehealth tax incentives to healthcare providers

Has COVID-19 affected your business?

This survey will help activate resources to help!

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.

I was laid off from my job or am not being paid because of COVID-19. What can I do?

The Reemployment Assistance program provides temporary and partial wage replacement for qualified workers who have become unemployed, through no fault of their own, during this public health emergency. You can apply online for Reemployment Assistance (formerly known as unemployment compensation) if you were working in Florida and are now:

Temporarily unable to work due to a positive COVID-19 test result.
Quarantined by a medical professional or a government agency.
Laid off or sent home without pay for an extended period of time because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Caring for an immediate family member diagnosed with COVID-19.

Learn more about Reemployment Assistance and how to apply here.

Additional Social Assistance Resources

As the City of Hollywood continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, we understand the importance of a focused response to assist those impacted by this public health emergency. Please click here for a summary of social assistance resources gathered to assist those in need.

Hollywood Restaurants, Bars & Nightclubs

Business Closures & Guidance

Effective 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, 2020 in the City of Hollywood and continuing through and including Thursday, April 16, 2020:

Bars and Nightclubs
All bars, pubs, nightclubs, cocktail lounges, breweries, and taverns in the City of Hollywood closed at 5:00 p.m. on March 17 and must remain closed.

Restaurants
All restaurants, cafeterias, and other food service establishments must cease all on-premises services. However, such establishments may continue to operate their kitchens for drive-thru, delivery, and curbside pick-up of food orders.

Other Businesses
All gyms, fitness centers, fitness studios, dance studios, and gymnasiums are closed. This does not apply to gyms or fitness centers that are an amenity of a hotel or office building and which have a capacity of 10 persons or less, or are an amenity of a residential building.

All dance halls, movie theaters, banquet halls, auditoriums, bowling alleys, video arcades and other like entertainment facilities and businesses, including but not limited to those contained within a hotel or other enclosed facility or structure, are closed.

Hollywood Beach, Broadwalk, Parks and Recreational Facilities
The Hollywood Beach and Broadwalk are closed to recreational activity. Access to the barrier island will be restricted to residents, business owners, business employees, hotel guests and patrons coming to pick up carry-out food orders from barrier island restaurants. All City community centers, parks and recreational facilities are closed. Public boat ramps at Holland Park will remain open, but the rest of the park will be closed down.

Additional Restrictions/Exemptions

All public gatherings of any type, whether organized or otherwise, of greater than 10 persons are prohibited. Grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, banks, credit unions, financial institutions, hardware stores, auto supply stores, hospitals, healthcare and medical facilities, pharmacies, drug stores, medical supply stores and companies, land or facilities owned or managed by Broward County, the Broward County School Board, the South Broward Hospital District, the State of Florida, and the Federal Government are exempt from this regulation.

Local Restaurant Directories

If your Hollywood restaurant offers curbside pickup, takeout, delivery or drive-through services, consider adding your business to one of more of the guides below.

Sun-Sentinel List: Complete this form
Hollywood Gazette List: Complete this form
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau List: Email rwells@broward.org

Additional Online Resources

Broward County - Business Assistance
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
U.S. Small Business Administration
Florida Small Business Development Center
CareerSource Broward Business Resources

Links to these established programs can be found on the City's Economic Development website. Please continue to monitor www.hollywoodfl.org and www.choosehollywoodfl.com for the latest updates.