February 24, 2021

Updates from Adams Morgan

Click Here to see previous updates in our newsletter archive

For the latest from the DC government, refer to: https://coronavirus.dc.gov

Save the Date

AMPBID Annual Meeting: Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Adams Morgan Partnership Business Improvement District’s Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at 5pm. The meeting will be held online via Zoom. Postcards were mailed to all commercial property and business owners in January.

IMPORTANT: To attend the annual meeting as a voting member (all commercial property and business owners within the AMPBID boundaries are automatically members) you must send us your email address via this form . Links to participate in the Zoom meeting and further details (including voting procedures) have been sent via USPS this week and reminders will be sent via email (if we have your correct email address). If you have not received your voting information by Monday, March 1`, please contact Brian Barrie . More information on participating in the meeting and voting -- including candidate info -- is available on our website here .

In addition to other business, we will hold elections for seven positions on the Board of Directors (5 property owners and 2 business owners whose terms expire in March) at the meeting.

If you have not yet, please fill out this form as soon as possible so we can send you information about the meeting and voting. If you have questions, please call Brian at 202.536.9515 or email at bbarrie@admodc.org .

The Return of Adams Morgan Date Nights!

After having to cut the event short last year due to the pandemic, Adams Morgan Date Nights has returned with a familiar, but somewhat different format. We'll still be giving away fabulous date packages and offering great suggestions for staying close to your special someone while staying socially distant from others, but there will be takeout and even virtual options as well.

In light of the difficulties our members have had to endure over the last year we didn't ask our businesses for prize donations -- instead, the prizes will be gift cards (purchased by us) to the Adams Morgan business chosen by the prize winner.

Sign up now at AdMoDateNights.com - the second prize drawing is this Friday!

First Half Real Property Tax Bills To Be Mailed This Week

This week, OTR began mailing real property tax bills for the 2021 first half tax year to District property owners. Payments, which reflect current and past due real property tax liabilities, are due March 31. Please reference this pdf document for additional information. It also outlines some of the real property tax functionalities available at OTR’s new online portal, MyTax.DC.gov .

BID taxes are now combined on the real property tax bill and are due at the same time.

Congrats to our Valentine's Day Window Contest Winners

Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest this year!

The winners are:

Copacabana , 2434 18th St NW
Duplex Diner , 2004 18th St NW
CenterPointe , 1802 Adams Mill Rd NW B

Big thank you to our judges:

John Zottoli (longtime resident, former ANC commissioner)
Peter Wood (current ANC commissioner)
Allie Bobak (from CM Nadeau's staff)
John Murray (neighborhood resident, realtor)
Liz Anderson (from DSLBD)
Composite of online voting counted as a single judge

The winners are pictured below with AMPBID Executive Director Kristen Barden. Clockwise from top left: Francisco Carvalho from Copacabana, Kelly Laczko from Duplex Diner, and Amy Keys from CenterPointe.

DCWBC Survey: Due on March 3

The DC Women’s Business Center (DCWBC) is conducting a research study and writing a report on the current state of women owned businesses in the DC Metro Region. They are using an online survey in order to collect primary data from our community. They want to reach as many women entrepreneurs as possible and thus would like to engage clients in Adams Morgan in the survey collection.

Click here to take the survey.

Immediate Enhancements to PPP Lending Program

The Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration are taking steps with the Paycheck Protection Program to further promote equitable relief for America’s mom-and-pop businesses.

The SBA will:

Immediately implement (starting today) a 14-day, exclusive PPP loan application period for businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 20 employees
Allow sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals to receive more financial support by revising the PPP’s funding formula for these categories of applicants
Eliminate an exclusionary restriction on PPP access for small business owners with prior non-fraud felony convictions, consistent with a bipartisan congressional proposal
Eliminate PPP access restrictions on small business owners who have struggled to make federal student loan payments by eliminating federal student loan debt delinquency and default as disqualifiers to participating in the PPP; and
Ensure access for non-citizen small business owners who are lawful U.S. residents by clarifying that they may use Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to apply for the PPP.
Addressing waste, fraud, and abuse across all federal programs. Unlike the previous round of the PPP, loan guaranty approval is now contingent on passing SBA fraud checks, Treasury's Do Not Pay database, and public records.
Promoting transparency and accountability by improving the PPP loan application.
Improving the Emergency Relief Digital Front Door.
Continuing to conduct extensive stakeholder outreach to learn more about challenges and opportunities in the implementation of current emergency relief programs.
Enhancing the current lender engagement model.

Borrowers can apply for the Paycheck Protection Program by downloading the First Draw PPP loan application or Second Draw PPP loan application and working with a participating PPP lender through the SBA Lender Match tool .

Uber Eats – Restaurant Grant Program

UberEats has a Restaurant Grant Program open now through February 28 at 11:59pm. The nationwide program will distribute $4.5 million in relief to active UberEats and Postmates restaurant partners in the US who have been financially impacted by COVID-19. The $5,000 grants can be used on rent and utilities, payroll, vendor bills, upgrading technology, and other operating expenses.

Click here for eligibility and details.

Seminario Web Gratuito:

"Apertura del Programa de Proteccion de Pago (PPP)"

Jueves 25 de Febrero, 2021; 12:30pm - 1:30pm (ET)

¿Qué fue lo que se actualizó? ¿Qué requisitos debo tener a la mano antes de aplicar? Abordaremos estos temas y más detalles en esta sesión virtual.

Como ya habrán escuchado, se ha abierto por segunda vez la ventanilla para solicitar el préstamo del Programa de Protección de Pago (PPP). Si ya ha solicitado este préstamo o desea solicitarlo por primera vez, es muy importante que esté enterado de las actualizaciones y nuevos requisitos del programa.

Te invitamos a unirte a este taller en donde contaremos con David Hincapie, Especialista en Desarrollo Económico de la Administración de Pequeños Negocios (SBA) para el área metropolitana del distrito Washington D.C. (WMADO). David proporcionará información actual acerca de la segunda apretura del Programa de Protección de Pago (PPP).

Manda tus preguntas con anticipacion a sandra.felipe@vahcc.com para que los ponentes puedan responderlas el dia del evento.

¿A que se refiere el Programa de Protección de Pago (PPP)? El programa de protección de pago (PPP, por sus siglas en inglés) ofrece préstamos para ayudar a las empresas a mantener su fuerza de trabajo empleada durante la crisis del coronavirus (COVID-19). Los prestatarios podrían calificar para la condonación o perdón de su préstamo.

Regístrate aqui

US Chamber webinar on PPP featuring White House's Bharat Ramamurti

The Biden administration just announced major changes to the Payroll Protection Program, aimed at extending aid to minority-owned businesses and to the nation’s smallest firms. Only businesses with fewer than 20 employees will be able to apply for PPP funds through March 9. The administration is also making other changes that could impact small business’ access to pandemic relief. Learn about these changes at the next Small Business Update on Thursday, February 25 at 12:00 pm ET .

Click here for more information and to register.

E-Commerce for Small Business Webinar Rescheduled for March 4

Topics will include:

Set up your online store on Amazon
Showcase and market your products to millions of Amazon customers that want to support Black-owned businesses
Learn about upcoming procurement activities with Amazon and with federal agencies looking to source from Black-owned businesses

Speakers will include Kristi C. Whitfield, Director, Department of Small and Local Business Development; Lois Rouder, Senior Business Development Manager, Amazon Business Bridging Communities; and Fonta Gilliam, CEO, DC Capital Connector.

Click here for more information and to register.

Update from RAMW

From Kathy Hollinger, president, RAMW

There continues to be a lot of forward momentum for the next round of COVID relief that will likely pass the House next week and will pass the Senate before March 14th. Included in the Congressional Relief package will be the Unified Restaurants Act, and while we have mentioned it many times, today, we are providing a breakdown of what is in it and how it benefits you. It is important to note that the below summary could be subject to change, but at this point, we are confident that the Unified Restaurants Act will be in the Reconciliation COVID Relief Package.

What it includes:

Eligible Entity – Owns or operates (as of March 13, 2020) 20 or fewer establishments.
This includes: restaurants, food stands, food trucks, food carts, caterers, saloons, inns, taverns, bars, lounges, brewpubs, tasting rooms, and taprooms.
Grant Maximum – $10 million per restaurant group, $5 million per individual restaurant
The grant is calculated by subtracting the 2020 revenues of the entity from the 2019 revenues of the entity.
For those not in operation for the entirety of 2019, the entity can receive the difference between 12x the average monthly revenue for 2019 and revenues of the eligible entity in 2020 or a formula determined by Treasury.
For those not in operation until 2020, the entity can receive a grant equal to the amount of expenses incurred by the entity (which would be covered expenses by the grant) minus any revenues received.
Eligible Expenses – Payroll and benefits, mortgage, rent, utilities, maintenance, supplies including protective equipment and cleaning materials, food, operational expenses, covered supplier costs as defined by the SBA under the PPP program, sick leave, and any other expenses deemed essential by the Administrator.
Covered Period – Grants can be spent on eligible expenses from 2/15/20 through 12/31/21 and the Administrator may extend the period through two years from enactment if conditions warrant.
Set Asides – $5 billion of the $25 billion total is reserved for restaurants with less than $500,000 in gross receipts in 2019 for the first 60 days of the program. During the initial 21-day period, the administrator will prioritize awarding grants to eligible entities that are owned or controlled by women or Veterans or are socially and economically disadvantaged businesses.

Click here for the National Restaurant Association’s full breakdown of what is included in the Unified Restaurants Act.

We are still waiting on the Senate to decide if it will include the Raise the Wage Act in the COVID Relief Package. It will be included in the House version, but it is unclear if there is enough support in the Senate for it to be included in their version or if its inclusion violates reconciliation requirements. The Senate is holding hearings on the Raise the Wage Act this week, and the Senate Parliamentarian could issue a decision on whether the minimum wage is allowed in the reconciliation bill as early as today or tomorrow. The Parliamentarian decision does not dictate whether or not Raise the Wage will be included, but it provides important procedural clarity.

In DC relief, we mentioned last week that the House passed legislation that would provide the District with additional funding, an estimated $1.49 billion. This move is to combat COVID in an amount that addresses the shortfall DC received from the original CARES ACT, because DC was considered a territory not a state. We are having conversations with the city about how that additional funding can be used to support the restaurant community and small businesses. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available. The legislation still needs to pass the Senate.

Finally in DC, we are working with the Council on permanent legislation regulating third party delivery companies and apps that will support the continued recovery of our local industry, and address the unique challenges and issues you have faced. We will share more information with you once it is available, but please know this is one of the many ways we are working for you.

Art in Bloom Sculptures

National Cherry Blossom Festival: March 20 - April 11

The Cherry Blossom Festival is going to be mostly virtual this year, but there are opportunities for your business to participate and take advantage of the festival's marketing efforts and visitors to the city. The Adams Morgan Partnership will once again be decorating the neighborhood with Cherry Blossom decals in the weeks leading up to the festival.

Art in Bloom

Beginning March 20, go on the hunt for 25 giant cherry blossom sculptures flourishing throughout the DC area. Featuring the artwork of local and national artists, engage with the icons for a chance to win prizes. We are working with the Festival to have one of the giant cherry blossoms located in Adams Morgan. Stay tuned for more details!

Community events this year include:

Blossom Kite Fly

Take to the skies and join us for the long-standing tradition of kite flying in springtime during the 2021 Blossom Kite Fly!

Blossom Kite Fly registration . Make sure to register yourself and invite your friends and family to register/participate as well!
Blossom Kite Fly official Facebook page . Make sure to mark as attending and invite your friends!
We are partnering with ARCH Development to distribute kite kits to area kids.

Petal Porch Parade

The Petal Porch Parade will take place from March 20 until April 11. On the weekend of April 10-11, a Petal Procession will drive through select Petal Porch Parade neighborhoods in and around DC. Register by March 15, and get your neighbors involved too for the chance to have the Petal Procession cruise through your neighborhood!

Petal Porch Parade registration . Make sure to register to decorate your porch, yard, or window!!
Petal Porch Parade Facebook page . Make sure to mark as attending and invite your friends!

CSA/Licking Creek Bend Farm Membership Now Open

**The CSA season is divided into 4 sessions:

June-July (Tuesday and Saturday)
August-September (Tuesday and Saturday)
October (Tuesday and Saturday)
November (Saturday only)

**Early Bird: (April 30 deadline)

$315.00 (9 week session); $280 (8 week session)

After April 30:

$337.50 (9 week session); $300 (8 week session)

**NEW THIS SEASON – because we have a new additional high tunnel and can start planting earlier, we are offering up to 30 memberships for May, starting May 8. Early crops we are planning include: lettuce, spinach, kale, scallions, early squash, other early greens and maybe some surprises! This is an experiment because the weather is so unpredictable from March to May in our valley, to be safe, we are limiting the number of members we can meet. Should the weather really cooperate and our crops do well, we can add folks, so if you aren’t part of the first 30 members, we can have a waiting list.

May will have 4 pick up weeks (Saturday or Sunday) for $25/week or $100 if you also sign up for Session 2 (June/July). If you only do May, the cost will be $30/week or $120.

For more info and membership forms, email Esther Siegel .

What DC Circulator is Doing to Keep Riders Safe

More information at dccirculator.com/coronavirus

Office Space for Rent

The Festival Center at 1640 Columbia Rd., NW in Adams Morgan is now offering individual offices to rent for the week (or longer)! This is the perfect environment for students, non-profit leaders, entrepreneurs, and individuals wanting a safe and quiet space to work. Reach out to the Festival Center if you are interested and would like more details!

Contact email: info@festivalcenter.org .

Free One on One Business Consultations

SBRC One-On-One Call Session:

 Steps to Obtaining a Business License

Monday - Friday: By appointment between 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Submit your events and specials!

List your Adams Morgan events and business specials on our webpage for free! Click here to go to the event submission form, fill it out completely, and click on "submit event." Event submissions are reviewed to ensure the events either take place within the Adams Morgan business district or are being put on by an Adams Morgan business, and once approved should appear on the website within 48 hours.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Sponsor one of our community events! Partner with our community while reaching some of the city's most desirable demographics. For details, contact Kristen Barden at 202-997-0783.