Portland efforts emergency relief for small businesses after ice storm

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – After hundreds of small businesses in Portland were damaged during a winter storm, business owners can now apply for emergency relief funding, Portland City Commissioner Carmen Rubio announced Thursday.

The commissioner said she’s working with the State of Oregon and city bureaus to bring the emergency funds to small businesses after some had costly damage to buildings, and inventory, in addition to a decline in business as Portlanders stayed home during the storm.

“Our small businesses took yet another hit,” Rubio said. “I want every one of these businesses to know that we hear you, we see you, and we are working on obtaining funding streams to help.”

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“I want to especially thank Governor Kotek for her leadership with issuing the essential declaration of emergency, which is the needed first step. Prosper Portland and the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management now are working together to ensure small businesses know what information we need from them in order to unlock emergency relief,” the mayoral hopeful continued.

To access the funds, small businesses must complete an Economic Injury Worksheet by Feb. 2. Officials said submitting the form does not guarantee businesses will receive a disaster loan, but it could lead to a federal Small Business Administration declaration for the region.

“We need businesses to fill out the form in order to be successful in our efforts to unlock these funds,” Rubio said. “In addition, if we are successful, I have directed Prosper Portland to be ready. Prosper can activate advisors in our Small Business Hub to support businesses owners in applying for these resources. Whether it’s navigation, application assistance, or simply having a real person listen and help, across multiple languages, we are here to help our city recover.”

This comes after independent restaurants and bars requested immediate aid from the State of Oregon to address financial loss brought on by the winter storms.

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According to a letter by the Independent Restaurant Alliance of Oregon (IRAO) addressed to state leaders, the extended closures of independently owned restaurants, bars and food carts have been “catastrophic” to their business operations.

Additionally, they say the closures put them “at risk of permanent closure without immediate assistance from local and regional governments.”

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The letter also states the winter storms have left many businesses with average losses of $23,000 per location and an average wage loss of $1,800 for employees.

“To lose six days of income or five days or nearly five days of income, you know, during our slowest season, even in a normal year, is pretty brutal,” said Ryan Magarian of Oven and Shaker pizzeria. “But you know, going into what I think could be a pretty tough winter for our staff to lose that much money, it’s gnarly.”

Bridgide Blackburn, co-owner of Cargo, a small business that sources items made by international artisans, echoed Magarian’s sentiment.

“We’ve missed nearly a full week at what is historically sort of a slow time for us,” she said. “But you never want to miss that much time and you never want to give, you know, your entire team, seven days, unpaid days off at a really crucial time for everybody.”

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