Small companies throughout Lengthy Seaside will quickly be capable of apply for grants to assist offset prices incurred by the current rise in property crimes and vandalism, metropolis officers introduced Friday.
The town has allotted $350,000 from the Lengthy Seaside Restoration Act for the Visible Enchancment Grant program. The $1,500 grants can be found for native companies that have been affected by crime or vandalism on or after Oct. 1, 2022, and so they can be utilized for storefront repairs, boarding prices, insurance coverage deductibles and enterprise working bills, in accordance with the announcement.
“Small companies are a key part to a vibrant group” Financial Growth Director Bo Martinez stated in an announcement. “This grant alternative is certainly one of a number of the Metropolis has supplied over the previous couple of years to assist small companies get by way of difficult instances and begin to thrive as soon as once more.”
Throughout the town, property crime accounted for almost 84% of all reported crime final yr, in accordance with Lengthy Seaside Police Division knowledge. Property crime rose 7.6% final yr in comparison with 2021, with 13,895 reviews filed—a mean of 38 reviews per day.
Business housebreaking, with 941 reviews, was up 26.3% in comparison with 2021, knowledge reveals.
This system is a part of the town’s efforts to fight the homelessness disaster, for which the town declared a state of emergency earlier this month. Metropolis officers famous that whereas a number of the reported crime and vandalism is expounded to the town’s unhoused inhabitants, housed folks additionally commit these crimes repeatedly for a wide range of causes, together with “will increase in societal stressors, such because the COVID-19 pandemic and its related financial results.”
The announcement comes days after the favored Beachwood Brewing introduced it will quickly shutter its kitchen in Downtown, citing a number of points, together with security and cleanliness considerations surrounding folks experiencing homelessness within the space.
Grant functions open Feb. 22, and this system’s actions can be tracked and reported on the Lengthy Seaside Restoration Act web site.
“Our small enterprise homeowners have endured a number of crises over the previous couple of years whereas retaining their outlets operating and their workers working,” Mayor Rex Richardson stated in an announcement. “With this new grant alternative, the Metropolis continues to supply help throughout this strategy of restoration.”
Beachwood Brewing to quickly shut Downtown kitchen, citing space’s ongoing security and cleanliness points