PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach is launching a grant program that will help small businesses pay their commercial rent, if they have lost revenue as a result of COVID-19 and State and Local Health Orders that restricted business operations.

“Small businesses are still recovering from the pandemic and many need more assistance on the road to recovery,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “This program helps bridge the rent for so many of our mom-and-pop businesses.” 

The Commercial Rental Assistance Grant is funded by the third round of emergency grant funds from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG CV-3) allocation. Approximately $1.5 million is available for this program. Grants totaling $4,000 are available to help businesses pay commercial lease payments that are outstanding or will become due in the 2021 calendar year. 

The Commercial Rental Assistance Grant application period begins June 11, 2021, at noon and closes Thursday, July 22, 2021, at 5 p.m. To apply, businesses may visit the City’s Commercial Rental Assistance Grant webpage, review eligibility requirements and submit an application and all required documentation.

Applicants must meet all the following requirements:

• Be a for-profit business with Long Beach as its location of business.
• Have a Long Beach business license.
• Have 50 or fewer full-time employees.
• Have experienced financial hardship resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and State and local Health Orders.
• Have a physical location with a current, active commercial lease.
• Be in a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) area.
• Be in compliance with local Health Orders.
• Not be permanently closed.

The following documentation is required:

• Current commercial lease/rental agreement.
• Landlord contact information.
• W-9; Request for Taxpayer ID number and certification.
• Copy of photo ID.

Grant awards will be based on the actual cost of rent and any applicable charges due under a commercial lease (not to include payments for property taxes and utility payments). Grant payments will be made directly to the applicant (commercial tenant) to cover lease payments.

Businesses that need assistance completing a grant application can receive free help at one of the City’s BizCare pop-ups. The BizCare pop-ups are located at various locations throughout the City and operate on the following schedule:

• Mondays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Admiral Kidd Park, 2125 Santa Fe Ave.
• Tuesdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Admiral Kidd Park; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library, 5870 Atlantic Ave.
• Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library and Mark Twain Neighborhood Library, 1401 E. Anaheim St.
• Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mark Twain Neighborhood Library

Information about additional business assistance and resources is available on the City’s Business Support webpage or by contacting the City’s Business Hotline at 562.570.4BIZ (4249). 

For the latest information on COVID-19, with details on all that the City of Long Beach is doing to keep our residents safe, visit longbeach.gov/COVID19 and follow @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.