relief

Laguna Beach boosts COVID-19 relief package to $2 million, adds hotel grants

By magenet 4 weeks ago
The Inn at Laguna Beach’s Pacific Terrace overlooks the ocean. Courtesy of Classic Hotels & Resorts

The Laguna Beach City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to increase funding for its COVID-19 relief package to $2 million, ramping up programs to assist local businesses, workers, and residents enduring the pandemic’s economic fallout.

The Council’s latest appropriation is $600,000 for the LB CARES Hotel Program, which will grant hoteliers up to 50% of the transient occupancy tax they collected from overnight guests during the Fourth Quarter of 2020. The City Council approved a minimum grant of $5,000 and a maximum of $100,000 per

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Laguna Beach provides COVID-19 relief to hotels, reworks other grant programs

By magenet 4 weeks ago

To help hotels struggling during the pandemic, Laguna Beach city officials Tuesday allocated $600,000 in COVID-19 relief funding for a program that would allow hoteliers in good standing to recover a portion of the taxes they pay to the city.

Hotels can apply to recover up to 50% of transient occupancy tax paid to the city for the fourth quarter, from October to December. Grants will range from $5,000 to $100,000.

Supporters of the hotel grant program called it a “jump-start” to aid the hospitality industry in its recovery efforts.

“These proposals are incredibly generous, and it means a lot

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Laguna Beach to mull $1 million relief program for small businesses, nonprofits

By magenet 2 months ago
Tables, chairs, and umbrellas were installed on dining decks at the Promenade on Forest Avenue earlier this year. Photo by Daniel Langhorne

The Laguna Beach City Council on Tuesday will consider a $1 million relief package for small businesses and nonprofits to help alleviate the financial hardship created by the regional stay-at-home order.

Laguna Beach restaurant and bar operators could apply for a single $5,000 grant per establishment. Similarly, retailers could each apply for a $2,000 to $3,000 grant.

The so-called LB CARES program proposed by Mayor Bob Whalen, signals that city officials are interested in shoring up local organizations

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