Doing Business During the Apocalypse

Helpful Hints for Business Owners

The smoke has cleared and the sun is shining, but COVID-19, wildfires, protests and political uncertainty have left many business owners in the dark. Hopefully, this will provide some light.
 
Landlords and Accrued Rent
Oregon’s ban on commercial evictions for failure to pay rent is set to expire September 30, 2020. Tenants have until March 31, 2021, to pay the accrued rent. As of October 1, 2020, a landlord may send a notice to a tenant regarding the accrued rent. Tenants then have 14 days to send a notice back of intent to repay or else the landlord can charge a penalty of one half of a month’s rent. For assistance and assurance that the notice complies with Oregon law, contact A+A.
 
Restaurant Owners
If the nice weather continues, restaurant owners should apply for a "Healthy Business permit" offered through the Portland Bureau of Transportation's Safe Streets Initiative and expand their outside seating. The permit allows the use of sidewalks and parking spaces. Some even allow the use of the street. If granted, there is no charge. See https://www.portland.gov/transportation/safestreetspdx/what-healthy-businesses-permit

Lawsuits
Generally, all civil jury trials in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties are postponed due to Coronavirus. Multnomah County Court operations are further hindered by the move to the new courthouse, which has been postponed to occur on October 5, with a delay in most operations until October 19. Some bench trials are permitted in Clackamas and Washington counties but depend on available staff and facilities. However, complaints can still be filed and are being processed by the courts. The resulting backlog of cases adds pressure for settlement for those that do not want their matters tied up in court indefinitely. Please contact A+A if you need help in negotiations or exploring alternative dispute resolution options.

Available Funds
While certain grants thru the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) and EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) programs are no longer available, business owners can still obtain a 30 year, 3.75% interest (2.75% for nonprofits) loan for working capital and operating expenses through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) EIDL program. For quick access to money, if a business owner already has a relationship with an SBA lender, up to $25,000 is promptly available and can be repaid through the EIDL loan. See https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options

For legal assistance in these uncertain times, contact A+A.

If we all light up we can scare away the dark.
-Passenger, Scare Away the Dark