LA County Announces New Countywide Economic Recovery Task Force

Amid the pandemic, Los Angeles County is making an unprecedented effort to assist small businesses and individuals experiencing financial hardships. In direct response to the COVID-19 economic challenges, the Board of Supervisors approved a motion co-authored by Supervisors Barger and Solis to establish the Economic Recovery Task Force that would design, coordinate and execute a Comprehensive Economic Recovery Plan.

“We know long after this virus is gone, the economic damage will remain. We need to understand the full financial impact that this disease has had on our economy in order to form a suitable response,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. “We will research, refocus and rebuild to come out of this stronger.”

The objective of this plan is to set forth viable strategies that prepare the region for renewed growth and prosperity throughout the County. The Task Force will be required to report back with applicable ideas and proposals, within a span of 90 days. The Task Force will be a working group of economic development practitioners and experts from business, government, labor, academia, and all five members of the Board. Recently, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas sent a letter to the Chief Executive Office detailing his primary objectives and focus around The Task Force.

“We need to acquire the experience and expertise needed for charting a path forward – ensuring that future prosperity is accessible and shared by all communities,” commented Ridley-Thomas.

The County has already begun to provide technical assistance to help small businesses access state and federal funds that are being made available to abate the impact of the crisis. Several efforts at the County and State level have been implemented to assist businesses and workers at this time. These efforts include: the Employer Assistance Grant Fund program, the L.A. County Worker and Business Disaster Help Center and the Small Business Relief Fund – all established by The Board of Supervisors in conjunction with the Department of Workforce Development, Aging, and Community Services (WDACS) and the Departments of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA).

For more information about how to access available funds and updates on the items listed above, please visit: lacountyhelpcenter.org or call 833-238-4450.