An East San Jose community organizer said months of fundraising for local small businesses won’t be enough without more support from the city.
Since San Jose Planning Commissioner Rolando Bonilla launched the East San Jose COVID Relief Fund in January to help businesses, it’s pulled in nearly $60,000, all from individual donors. This includes contributions from small business owners and mid-size business owners who “understand just how dire things are,” according to Bonilla.
Yet Bonilla said the fund has not received support from larger institutions, including the city of San Jose.
Many businesses have already fallen under. Bonilla warned that much broader support will be needed to save the local economy and the diverse East San Jose community that depends on it.
“These businesses are drowning and they desperately need a lifeline and right now the East San Jose COVID Relief Fund is that lifeline,” Bonilla explained. “But that lifeline needs to get bigger and needs to get stronger and needs to have the whole backing of the city of San Jose.”
The city has taken some steps to support small businesses including suspending the city’s licensing tax. However, Bonilla said what’s really needed now is cash and lots of it.
San Jose officials told KCBS Radio that the city has helped hundreds of local businesses gain access to money from various grant programs and has plans to help many more.
Officials also said that proposals to offer further assistance are currently in the works.
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