Economic Recovery Task Force May 15, 2020 Agenda 5/15/2020 1. - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Resilient Columbia: Economic Recovery Task Force

May 15, 2020

Agenda

• 1. Welcome
• 2. COVID-19 Situational Report
• 3. Review Business Re-open Survey Results
• 4. Subcommittee Reports
• 5. Task Force Open Discussion
• 6. Next Steps

5/15/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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COVID-19 Situational Report

Harry Tinsley, City of Columbia Emergency Management

Business Survey Results

Ryan Coleman, City of Columbia Economic Development Director

Task Force Small Groups

1. Small Businesses 2. Public Policy 3. Communications 4. Restoring Travel, Tourism, & Business Recruitment 5. Public Health & Safety 6. Sports and Events 7. Technology Transition

5/15/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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Small Business

Economic Recovery Task Force Small Group

7 Small Business Stabilization Fund Update (May 1, 2020)

• An additional $400,000 was added to the program by City Council on 4/21;

bringing the total allocation to $1.4M

• To date, we have awarded 283 small businesses, totaling $1,256,050 ($143,950

remaining)

• Possible Additional CDBG Economic Stabilization Funds
• Letters have been sent to state and congressional delegation requesting

additional funds to continue our efforts in assisting our small business community from a local level.

• Additional information: https://www.columbiasc.net/obo

8 Richland County - Monday, April 27th COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Grants for Small Businesses & Nonprofits

• $500,000 for small businesses affected by the economic downturn
• $500,000 for nonprofits addressing community needs, such as food insecurity for

low- to moderate-income households, rent and utility assistance

9 U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Payroll Protection and Health Care Enhancement Act (PPP2) In SC for PPP1: #of Businesses: 22,933 Amount: $3,807,578,397 PP2  Payroll Protection Program (PPP): $310B  Emergency Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL): $60B  Set Aside for Small, Medium, and Community Lenders: $60B

Public Policy

Economic Recovery Task Force Small Group

Public Policy Sub Committee Recommendations:

City of Columbia Actions

• Continue with consideration of expansion the allowance of

encroachments for restaurants, retail and special events to use city streets and parking spaces for expanded footprint. Allows for more social distancing while meeting the capacity limitations.

• Communicate and continue the City’s assistance for small

business technical assistance in accessing federal and state programs for financial assistance.

• Provide signage for businesses and the public around social

distancing, hand washing, wearing masks and other recommendation

5/18/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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Public Policy Sub Committee Recommendations

Federal and State Funding

• Utilize the various funding sources to assist businesses

with

• purchasing personal protective equipment in order to protect

workers and customers

• insurance assistance
• unemployment insurance (possibly increased coverages)

5/18/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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Public Policy Sub Committee Recommendations

Accelerate SC

• Recommend City Council to pass a resolution to encourage Accelerate SC to

adopt measure to open businesses while protect workers and our communities by

• Requiring customers wear masks to enter any business open to the public
• Providing all workers with masks, gloves, and other PPE
• Mandating at least 6 feet of distance between all workers and customers; where

that's not possible, employer must erect plastic barriers between workers and between workers and customers

• Isolating workers who have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 and

communicate with all employees and the appropriate agencies when cases have been identified

• Providing access to handwashing stations to all workers
• Communicating to all workers their right to stay at home if they or a family

member is ill with the guarantee that they will have a job to return to

• Ensuring no workers experience repercussions or retaliation (from their

workplace or immigration enforcement) if they report violations

5/18/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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Communications

Economic Recovery Task Force Small Group

Resilient Columbia Branding

Business FAQ’s

• A comprehensive list of Business FAQs will be released on Friday, May 15, 2020.
• The FAQs will be shared with media outlets, the business community, local stakeholders

and the general public as needed via multiple City of Columbia communications platforms (website, social media platforms, publications, CityTV, City YouTube channel, etc.)

• The FAQs will be updated, as needed, based on input and responses from business owners

regarding their questions or requests for information.

• Information and input for the FAQ document was provided by various City officials and

staff in City departments and based on feedback received from the business community. Those areas/departments include:

• Columbia City Council
• Columbia Police Department
• Columbia Richland Fire Department
• Economic Development Office
• Office of Business Opportunities
• Planning and Development Services Department
• Public Relations, Media and Marketing Department

Resilient Columbia Messaging / Local Influencers

• The City's Public Relations,

Media and Marketing Department will work with local influencers to develop a series of videos and public service announcements focused on the Resilient Columbia messaging.

• City Officials
• Business Leaders
• Public Safety

Command Staff

Launch of Resilient Columbia Microsite

• Online hub for economic recovery information, business

resources and COVID-19 safety guidelines.

www.resilient.columbiasc.gov

Partnerships with Local Media, Mayor's Office, Hospitality Districts and the City of Columbia Team

• The Public Relations, Media and Marketing Department will work aggressively

to identify opportunities to partner with local media outlets to help share and publicize Resilient Columbia information that will be helpful to both our citizens and business owners.

• Capitalize on the widespread reach of the Mayor's messaging and following on

various platforms.

• Coordination with the City's departments that focus on business opportunities

and development, as well as, public safety.

• Build a communications bridge with representatives from our local hospitality

districts to promote Resilient Columbia.

Restoring Travel, Tourism, & Business Recruitment

Economic Recovery Task Force Small Group

Public Health & Safety

Economic Recovery Task Force Small Group

Sports & Events

Economic Recovery Task Force Small Group

Event Scheduling Update

• Event scheduling through June is canceled so the timeline to

focus on reinvigorating external traffic to the City will begin around July and continue outward from there

• Bill Ellen notes that around 60% of the previously scheduled

events have been rescheduled for later, as opposed to being cancelled

• Due to current recommended spacing guidelines, a 20,000

square foot room now only provides enough capacity for 300 people

5/18/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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Hotel and Office Update

• Local hotel occupancy is currently doing well at around 35%,

which is leading the state and national averages

• We will be expanding the size of this task force and will be

including more members from the hotel sector in order to speed up local recovery efforts

• Reports from local commercial brokers indicate that the local
• ffice market is doing okay for now, and that area continues to

be stabilized by government sector tenants

• Many commercial tenants were able to shift to remote work

scenarios relatively easily, and most expect to remain in that status until late June or early July

• Rent deferrals have allowed many office users to shift their

costs out to accommodate for the COVID impact

5/18/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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Strategic Adjustments

• Moving forward, there should be an across the board

adjustment in marketing strategies promoting a “clean and safe” city and an precautious but open environment so that tourists and businesses feel safe and welcome

• We need to create uniform branding to build “consumer

confidence”

• Experience Columbia is already modifying their messaging to

gear up for reopening (ex. For meeting planners –”Real Meetings, Real Soon, Real Columbia SC”) and the business associations are discussing a “We’re Ready When You Are” Campaign

• There’s tremendous opportunity to leverage the City’s

responsiveness as a recruitment tool for business by a progressive and business friendly local economy

5/18/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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Virtual Tours

• Experience Columbia has partnered a firm to put together an
• nline travel guide using SkyNAV360, a technology that

combines aerial drone footage with 360 degree virtual tours to create an immersive experience for tourists

• Cities currently using this technology include Durham and

Wilmington (links included below)

• http://360.discoverdurham.com/?location=cp_gro_convent

ion

• http://wilmingtonconventiondistrict.skynav360.com/

5/18/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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Recruitment

• Recruitment strategies will need to adjust accordingly as well

using some of the previously outlined ideas and concepts

• With reduced levels of business travel, the integration of new

technologies such as drones, 3D photography, and virtual reality should be incorporated to help better promote buildings and sites

• We need to involve our local commercial real estate brokers to

see what other innovative technologies are being utilized to promote space, as well as make sure any strategies we implement locally are being executed across the board

5/18/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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Technology Transition

Economic Recovery Task Force Small Group

Task Force Open Discussion

• Resources to assist with recovery efforts
• Small & minority business support
• Business community takeaways so far
• Short term solutions the City could assist with
• Long term impacts on your business

5/8/2020 We Are Columbia. Together we will build a first class city.

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Together we’ll navigate what lies ahead with optimism, confidence and a long term view.