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This is the 17th weekly Message to Businesses from San Jose Downtown Association since the end of the COVID "tier" system June 15. They are usually sent on Thursdays.
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To our members:

Another big Friday night takes place tomorrow in Downtown San Jose.  #DTSJ should be full of energy after giving love to the Farmers’ Market earlier in the day.  City Dance, South First Fridays’ Street MRKT and Every Friday all happen at the same time at eight different locations around downtown.  Put on your walking (and dancing) shoes as you move between our venues, businesses and public spaces.

Over the weekend, get ready for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon activities Saturday and race Sunday and the San Jose Movement Festival on Sunday in St. James Park featuring guest artists from six San Jose dance troupes. (All the links to these events are under "Events" below.)

It’s no wonder the City announced this week:

“Recognizing the increasing significance of the arts and culture sector within the community and economy, it is with excitement that the City Manager’s Office has announced a new name for the Office of Economic Development as the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs (OEDCA).

“According to our last Arts and Economic Prosperity Economic Impact Study, the San José nonprofit arts sector alone contributes over $191 million in annual economic impact and 4,255 jobs. And we know that the arts are critical to our cross-cultural understanding and connection to each other – which is more critical now than ever as we reopen from the pandemic.

“The arts are core to our economic and community recovery plan. We spur the arts industry through strategic cultural arts funding, public art, special event production and facilitation, and through investing in our ‘creative entrepreneurs’ – the individuals, nonprofits and businesses that create, support and perform art throughout the city, contributing to our great public life.”
In Today's Message
SJDA's Annual Meeting - Friday, Oct. 8 @ 8:15 a.m.

Join us on Friday, Oct. 8 at 8:15 a.m. to hear SJDA's “State of Downtown," financial reports on our assessment districts and the popular lightning-round two-minute committee summaries.

Please participate in the election of SJDA’s Board of Directors for the 2021-2023 term by submitting your ballot online. Members located within the Business Improvement District are eligible to vote. All ballots received by October 7 will be eligible for a drawing for one of three prize packages containing a $25 dining gift certificate and $5 in Downtown San Jose Farmers’ Market “Carrot Cash.”

Please register to attend the meeting. Upon registration, you will receive a link providing you with access to the Zoom webinar. Please note that space is limited. The meeting will also be streamed live on Facebook.
Power disconnection and residential eviction moratoria ends Sept 30
Power disconnections:  The state’s moratorium on power disconnections expires today. To prevent disconnections, the state requires PG&E to automatically enroll small businesses with outstanding balances into payment plans (called the COVID-19 Debt Relief Payment Plan).

Small businesses with balances more than 60 days past due will also be automatically enrolled in payment plans. The payoff terms of the payment plan will be long enough so that a customer’s monthly debt payment is no more than 10% of their average energy bill (or 5% for customers in disadvantaged communities). Any balance owed to San Jose Clean Energy (SJCE) is included in the payment plan.

Residential customers can pay the eligible outstanding balance over 24 months in an installment plan. Current charges are paid on top of the monthly payback. Miss two months and you will be dropped from the plan. 

For more information about payment plans or other assistance programs, visit www.SanJoseCleanEnergy.org/Discount-Programs or call 833-432-2454.

Residential evictions:  The moratorium on residential evictions in San Jose also ends today. Tenants are still responsible for unpaid rent, but the unpaid rent cannot be a basis for eviction.  Landlords may begin to recover this debt on Nov. 1 by going to small claims court.  More details here.

Small business evictions:  For small business tenants who qualify for protection under Santa Clara County’s ordinance, the County's eviction moratorium expired on Aug. 19, 2021. Protected small business tenants have up to 6 months after the moratorium expires or terminates to repay at least 50% of the past-due rent, and up to 12 months after the moratorium expires or terminates to repay in full the past-due rent. 

Here are some frequently asked questions and more information from Santa Clara County
Vaccine Update

Along with additional/third doses of Pfizer or Moderna for the severely immunocompromised, COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine boosters are now available in Santa Clara County for individuals who received their second Pfizer dose at least six months ago and who meet criteria established by the federal government.   On Friday Sept. 24, the CDC released recommendations for booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine for certain groups. With this final step in the authorization process, our County mass vaccination sites have begun today to offer boosters to those who are eligible.

COVID-19 Pfizer booster shots are now available in Santa Clara County for those who received initial Pfizer vaccination shots at least six months ago and are eligible according to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.

“The County of Santa Clara continues to follow CDC guidance, and it’s clear that boosters are a valuable tool that people can use to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Dr. Sara Cody, Health Officer and Director of Public Health for the County of Santa Clara. “Throughout the course of the pandemic, the science continues to evolve, and this is the next step in keeping up with best practices to protect us against COVID-19.”

Booster shots offer additional security for those who are at high risk for complications from COVID-19 due to age or pre-existing conditions. People 65 years and older, residents of long-term care facilities and those over 50 with an underlying medical condition are strongly encouraged to get a booster shot.

Per CDC guidelines, those age 18-49 with an underlying medical condition -- as well as those at risk of COVID-19 exposure because of occupational or institutional setting -- are also eligible and may want to consider a booster. 

Santa Clara County info here.

Check www.sccfreevax.org for the most up-to-date information on vaccine clinic dates and locations.  Appointments to be tested for COVID for free can be made at www.sccfreetest.org.
Webinar & Meeting

Webinar: Do you need money for your business?  
Thursday, Sept. 30 | 3:30-5 p.m.
Sponsored by the City of San Jose
Free | Zoom | Register

This webinar answers questions about the options available for businesses to get money for their business.  Interpretation in Spanish, Vietnamese and Mandarin.

Zoom meeting:  FAA-directed cleanup of property along Coleman Avenue and Hedding Street
5 p.m. Oct. 6 | Register

Join Councilmember Raul Peralez and City staff to learn more about the FAA-directed clean up at Coleman and Hedding. The Airport, Housing, PRNS, and BeautifySJ will be in attendance. Time will be provided to ask live questions. 
EID Loan cap quadruples to $2 million

As of Sept. 8, new COVID EIDL policy changes have taken effect that entail the below updates to the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program for small business owners, including agricultural businesses, and nonprofit organizations:

  • Maximum loan cap increased from $500,000 to $2 million
  • Use of funds was expanded to include payment and pre-payment of business non-federal debt incurred at any time (past or future) and payment of federal debt
  • Extend the deferment period to 24 months from origination for all loans (existing loans with a less than 24-month deferment will be adjusted)
  • Affiliation requirements simplified to an affiliate is a business that you control or in which you have 50% of more ownership
  • Developed additional path to meet program size standards for businesses assigned a NAICS code beginning with 61, 71, 72, 213, 3121, 315, 448, 451, 481, 485, 487, 511, 512, 515, 532, or 812
  • Exclusivity Period: From September 8, 2021 to October 8, 2021, the above policy changes will be applicable to applications for <$500K while applications for >$500K will not be approved and therefore receive the policy changes until October 8, 2021
  • See more details on the COVID-19 September 8, 2021 Policy Changes.

Details and application

Here’s coverage from RestaurantDive.com.
SJDA Virtual Job Board

SJDA continues to help get the message out about your job openings.  Complete this form with your business information and open positions and SJDA will post the opportunities weekly on sjdowntown.com/downtown-jobs/, publicizing the message to our 25,000 social media followers on Facebook and Twitter. We’re getting info about job openings three-to-five times a week.  We’re happy to help.

Also, please email jvuong@sjdowntown.com or rjensen@sjdowntown.com if you are fully staffed and need your posting deleted.
Events

Downtown Farmers’ Market kicks off big weekend of events
The weekly San Jose Downtown Farmers’ Market is back Friday at 10 a.m. on South First Street between San Salvador and William streets in SoFA District. Please note that the market closes at 1:30 pm this Friday.

Other big events include:

  • Every Friday at 7 locations, all with live music.
  • CityDance Live Cumbia music and dance lessons in the Circle of Palms, plus the Museum of Art's free Friday night series.
  • The South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk + Street Mrkt Friday invites you to a unique evening of exciting exhibitions in their galleries and museums as well as a chance to meet and support the hyper-local creative community. 
  • SJSU vs. New Mexico State University at CEFCU Stadium Saturday. More info and tickets.
  • Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon this weekend. Live bands, DJs, cheer squads and fans. We have the map below. More information on the run Sunday and on the road closures here.
  • The San Jose Movement Festival heads to St. James Park for an exciting, new and FREE event full of professional dance performances from Ballet22, Fermata Ballet Collective, sjDanceCo, Abhinaya Dance Company, Cambrian Symphony and the San Jose Dance Theatre Company.

Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon Street Closure Information
Downtown in the News
Recent media reports involving Downtown San Jose/Silicon Valley:
COVID-19 Links
Newer Links:
Let us know how else we can help your business by replying to this email. We’ll have another message next Thursday.
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