By JULIE CUNNINGHAM
(Greenfield, MA) At a recent press conference in Greenfield, Congressman Jim McGovern, Senator Jo Comerford, and Representative Paul Mark joined Mayor Roxann Wedegartner to reassure the community that creative solutions are the way forward as the economy is left reeling from the pandemic. During the conference, McGovern discussed a new initiative to cover people’s salaries rather than pay unemployment. This would tie people directly to their jobs. Rent and mortgage freezes are not off the table either.
“Everything needs to be on the table because this is a crisis like we have never seen,” said McGovern,
These initiates are still in the works, and it is not clear if and when they would be put into practice. A draft of the bill to freeze rents and mortgages is in the works. A bill to cover salaries directly is also in the works. McGovern stressed thinking out of the box.
Micro businesses might be able to receive $10,000 forgivable loans from the City of Greenfield, pending HUD releasing the Federal Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG,
CARES Act money to the city. Since the City of Greenfield is a non entitlement company, receiving the money has proven challenging. Once that money is sent and received, small businesses that have been hard hit by the pandemic, like salons and single proprietor businesses will receive assistance. Many of these small businesses have been locked out of both the Paycheck Protection Program and unemployment. Wedegartner is hoping to ease the burden by opening some of the personal care sector first.
“They’re the businesses that can control who comes into the establishment, who can come in there, etc.,” said Wedegartner.
For more information about the HUD CDBG CARES Act grants, click here. A start date for any forgivable loans from Greenfield has not been released.