Jul. 16—DANVILLE — Forty-four small businesses or micro enterprises (up to four employees) have received business grants and 367 households have received rental assistance through the city so far with COVID relief funding.

The city received $593,099 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) coronavirus funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Planned funding usage: $373,099 for small business support grants; $200,000 for rent, mortgage and vehicle payment assistance for low- to moderate-income persons; and $20,000 for administration costs.

Businesses that received grants:

Adventure Awaits Toys & Games — $2,000

Allure Hair & Makeup Salon — $2,000

Antionette Burrage Pretty slime collections — $10,000

BagTeamEntLLc — $2,000

BigDaves Backyard — $10,000

BURTco. LLC — $2,000

Charlotte's — $10,000

Cleaning by Jai — $10,000

Cosmic Cameron Creations — $2,000

Danville Downtown Event Center — $2,000

Dashae McCline — $10,000

Dekimbay Johnson — $10,000

dis n dat — $10,000

Dog Pleasurers — $10,000

Dreamworks Property and Construction Management LLC — $2,000

Encouragement Today — $2,000

Enlightening Fashion, LLC — $2,000

Family first painting and cleaning — $10,000

FYEnally Raw Studios — $2,000

Gold Rush Pawnbrokers Inc. — $10,000

Gwens Fragrences — $10,000

Hillcrest Animals Medical Center and Pet Plus — $10,000

KSTYLED BY KSHAW — $2,000

L&H Tavern,inc dba Sarge's Tap — $10,000

Mad Goat Coffee — $10,000

Mi Blessing beauty bar — $10,000

Mpower — $2,000

Phung Hien LLC — $10,000

Quick Details — $10,000

Robert Beard — $10,000

Self Made Beautique — $2,000

Shacoya Moore Tax Preparation Services — $10,000

South Street Saloon — $10,000

Suga N Spyce — $2,000

The Juke Gaming — $10,000

The Trep School — $10,000

Willie Hall and Sons Tree Service — $2,000

Yard Cleaning — $10,000

Young living — $10,000

A recent survey of the public on how to spend additional funding the city has received, supported additional small business grants.

Danville Community Development Administrator Logan Cronk said the majority of respondents wanted to assist small businesses again.

Cronk said the city already has a program designed to intake small business grant requests. City officials will make a few adjustments to the system, such as to make sure there are no fraud claims.

"We believe we have had a couple of cases," Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. said, but added the state and federal government reportedly saw far more fraud cases. "So, we are making our rules a little more strict this time."

The City of Danville received a $149,820 reallocation of CDBG funding to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus.

This reallocation is authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

Requirements of the grant maintain that the funds be allocated toward projects that prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus and that awardees meet low to moderate income guidelines set by HUD.

The small business assistance grants have helped with operating expenses and salaries. Businesses can be eligible for $2,000 (sole proprietor) to $10,000 (under 50 employees).

Households could apply for $1,250 per household for rental assistance.

Qualifications to be eligible for assistance have included: proof of loss of income due to COVID-19, and not residing in HUD-assisted living. Housing assistance payments were made directly to the landlord or mortgages.

This has been a first come, first serve program.

Williams previously said businesses that have received other financial assistance through the state or payroll protection program won't be eligible for grant funding.

Proof of job loss, unemployment or an inoperable business is required.

Cronk said the latest funding will likely come from HUD in October or November.

"The program guidelines will be created after full council approval and a press release with those guidelines will be released," he stated.

The Danville City Council next week will consider amending the fiscal year 2018-2019 CDBG fund and CDBG 2019 annual action plan for the $149,820 in (CDBG-Coronavirus) funding. The Small Business Support Grant program would be created with $139,820 allocated to the activities. Administrative cost reimbursement would be increased by $10,000.

In other reports on the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) program year 2021, with the city spending almost $1.2 million in CDBG funds, the city demolished 21 homes and rehabbed 20 homes, making two handicapped-accessible.

Cronk said 90 percent of the funding went to low-to-moderate income families.

"I think that is something to be proud of," he said, adding that the city can spend as low as 70 percent of funds on low-to-moderate income residents.