COMMUNITY BOARD ELEVEN BOROUGH OF 1664 PARK AVENUE , NY 10035 TEL: 212-831-8929 FAX: 212-369-3571 www.cb11m.org

Nilsa Orama Chair

Angel D. Mescain District Manager

April 16, 2021

Hon. Diana Ayala Council, 8th District 105 East 116th Street New York, NY 10029

Re: Second Phase of the East Small Business Grant

Dear Councilmember Ayala,

The Small Business Grant was created to support and offset expenses such as rent, utilities, payroll, insurance, and other operating costs that have been difficult for small businesses to maintain during the economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. With the tremendous economic loss of jobs, revenue, the grant brought much needed relief to business owners struggling to stay afloat from day to day.

We were pleased to learn that as of the closing of the grant application period on Feb 16, 2021, approximately $3.3M of the $4M allocated for grants had been successfully dispersed to small businesses in the community; leaving an estimated $700K unused.

While the Payment Protection Program (PPP) and other loan options have also presented themselves extremely helpful in lifting the huge monetary loss faced by these establishments, these measures alone have not been enough to keep the lights on.

It is for that reason that we are supporting a second phase of the East Harlem Small Business Grant program utilizing, at a minimum, the remaining unused grant funds to support small businesses within the East Harlem Community. Although we are now "opening up" the city again, there is still an immense need to keep businesses afloat and many owners are still struggling to make ends meet. Redeploying these funds can be the difference between a dream deferred or a dream revived.

Community Board 11 looks forward to continuing to support our small business and play an active role in revitalizing the community as we rise out of the tragedy of the COVID pandemic. Let’s do all we can to assist our community and continue to build up our neighborhood.

EAST HARLEM * HARLEM * EL BARRIO * SPANISH HARLEM * RANDALL’S & WARD’S ISLAND

Sincerely,

Nilsa Orama Chair

cc: Hon. Gale A. Brewer, Manhattan Borough President (via email) Hon. Bill Perkins, (via email) Hon. Ben Kallos, New York City Council (via email) Hon. Keith Powers, New York City Council (via email) Hon. Robert J. Rodriguez, New York State Assembly (via email) Hon. Inez Dickens, New York State Assembly (via email) Hon. , New York State Senate (via email) Hon. Jose Serrano, New York State Senate (via email) Marissa Mack, Community Board 11 (via email) Judith Febbraro, Community Board 11 (via email)

EAST HARLEM * HARLEM * EL BARRIO * SPANISH HARLEM * RANDALL’S & WARD’S ISLAND