Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de Leon is expected to announce on Monday the opening of a Business Resource Center to support those impacted by Interstate 10 fire, which closed one of the nation’s busiest freeways.
The councilman’s office has organized a press event that morning in collaboration with the Downtown Industrial Business Improvement District and various city departments to provide details on the support available to businesses impacted by the closure of the freeway between Alameda Street and the East Los Angeles interchange.
The freeway has been closed since last Saturday, Nov. 11, and is expected to reopen on Tuesday, Nov. 21, according to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
The opening of the resource center follows an emergency motion passed by the Los Angeles City Council last week that directed the Economic and Workforce Development Department to reach out to local businesses affected by the fire, the freeway closure and the associated street detours. The department was also tasked with helping to identify local, state and federal resources to mitigate the impact.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass last week promised that assistance would be available to downtown businesses.
“During this difficult time and beyond, my message is the same — Los Angeles stands with businesses,” the mayor said.
That assistance will include a micro-enterprise grant program, administrated by the city’s Economic Workforce and Development Department. The grant deadline is Dec. 10.
Information about resources available to businesses can be found at emergency.lacity.gov.