The good news announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom that the DTLA section of the I-10 Freeway will reopen by next week is tainted for some business owners who say they have already lost a lot of money due to the closure.
But there is hope ahead for those looking to be made whole, courtesy of some help from the city.
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One business owner told KNX News reporter Craig Fiegener that, since Monday, sales have been down 50% or more.
She said customers don't want to drive downtown because of the traffic, and vendors are requesting her team pick up deliveries because they, too, want to avoid making the trip downtown.
She said, "The question that we have for [Mayor Bass] is, what is the solution?" and she's not the only one.
Estela Lopez, the Executive Director of L.A. Downtown Industrial District BID said, "We have about 600 businesses within this area, and while we're not next to the freeway, we have felt the impact greatly...But now, thankfully, that won't last much longer."
Mayor Bass spoke to the owner of a warehouse that supplies products to restaurants and grocery stores, who said his business was down about 40%. "And so just imagine what would it would have been if that freeway had to come down? It would have been months," said the Mayor.
So what is Mayor Bass going to do for them?
She announced microgrants of up to $5,000 to help cover the losses businesses have suffered.
Business owners have until December 7 to apply.
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