50 local businesses to get COVID rent relief grants

SAN LEANDRO >> The city is distributing $750,000 in grants to help small-businesses pay back rent owed as a result of the pandemic.

The San Leandro Small Business Recovery Grant Program is aimed for local businesses hit hard by COVID-19 and struggling to get financial assistance.

Through the grant, the city will offer the businesses training and ongoing services to help them continue operating and grow beyond the pandemic.

The program’s focus is help the community “keep it local, both in character and vitality,” according to a city news release.

The San Leandro City Council allocated the $750,000 from the federal American Rescue Plan Act’s COVID-19 relief grants for small business assistance. The city estimates 50 small businesses will receive grants of up to $15,000 each to pay landlords overdue rent accrued since the pandemic’s onset.

Eligible for the grants are brick-and-mortar, forprofit businesses located in incorporated San Leandro and in operation since before March 16, 2020, with 25 or fewer employees.

They must lease or rent commercial property directly from a landlord.

Eligible are businesses that were forced to shut down or had limited operations for an extensive period during 2020; experienced a significant loss of revenue and a reduction in its workforce; and received little to no financial assistance during the pandemic.

All small businesses are encouraged to apply if they think they might qualify.

Initial applications are due Jan. 11. Information about the grant program can be found at sanleandro. org/767/COVID-19-Business-Resources.