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WILKES-BARRE — Just as it has for restaurants, the city is going to offer emergency relief loans to small businesses.
Mayor George Brown on Wednesday announced the loan program that’s funded from a little used state economic development program.
The program is available to existing, non-franchised locally owned small business projects — one full-time employee up to five full-time employees — that had been operating prior to the COVID-19 pandemic state-mandated shutdown and have had to remain closed due to the mandate.
Also, the small business will not be permitted to reopen until Luzerne County reaches the green phase of the state’s phased-in reopening protocol. The small business must be located within the city limits.
The program is intended to finance projects which have a positive impact on the city by:
• Leveraging of private investment.
• Increase small business sustainability.
• Providing additional tax revenue.
The purpose of the program is to assist existing, non-franchised locally owned small businesses in bringing back or rehiring their employees who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19, including decreased wages or loss of employment.
The uses of the fund can include:
• Paying employees.
• Restocking inventory.
• Paying lease or mortgage payments.
• Paying utility bills.
• Operational expenses for the small business establishment.
• Other uses may be approved with permission from the city.
Guidelines and application will be forthcoming and will be posted to the city’s website, https://www.wilkes-barre.city/.
