economy | ALXnow

Virginia offers grants for small businesses bringing in new hires

Published August 10, 2021 at 9:40AM | Updated August 10, 2021 at 3:19PM

(Updated 3:15 p.m.) As part of an ongoing mission to help boost the city’s economic recovery, a Virginia program being administered locally by the Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council offer to match signing bonuses for small, local businesses currently hiring new employees.

Liz Bolton, interim director of marketing and communications for the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, said the grants are available to any business with fewer than 100 employees in Arlington or Alexandria. The grant program provides matching grants of $500 to create a $1,000 bonus for the new W-2 employees who are paid $15 per hour or more.

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Mayor releases figures for ongoing eviction crisis in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published June 1, 2021 at 2:15PM

A rally to extend the moratorium on rent evictions in front of the Alexandria Courthouse on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

As the nation was going through economic turmoil and the city’s unemployment reaching historic highs, at least 1,899 residents have also faced eviction threats from their landlords.

In a newsletter, Mayor Justin Wilson noted that from last July to this April, there were 514 eviction judgements in the city and 1,128 evictions that were pursued but eventually dropped or dismissed. There are 257 cases pending.

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Here’s a preview of what’s ahead for Alexandria’s post-pandemic economic development

By Vernon Miles

Published May 20, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated May 24, 2021 at 5:10PM

Alexandria has gotten knocked down, but is looking to get back up again in 2021.

In a report outlining the city’s response to the dire fiscal impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (ADEP) outlined the allocation of grant funding to businesses in the city. Beneath lingering concerns about the years it will likely take to return businesses to a pre-pandemic levels of vitality, the report outlined some of the major new tenants and changes coming to the city in the next year or two.

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Old Town dominated the city in 2020 business grant funding

By Vernon Miles

Published May 5, 2021 at 10:45AM

A new report from the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership showed that the 22314 zip code — Old Town and Carlyle — received more funding in business grants than the rest of Alexandria combined.

A breakdown of grant dollars by zip code showed that Old Town and Carlyle businesses received $3.5 million in grant funding. The next closest was the 22304 zip code in the West End, totaling $1.1 million.

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Southern Towers residents nervous as landlord steps up eviction proceedings

By Vernon Miles

Published April 14, 2021 at 2:30PM | Updated April 14, 2021 at 3:31PM

Low-income residents at Southern Towers (4901 Seminary Road) in the West End have been among those most affected by historic highs in unemployment and a sluggish economic recovery — but on-top of this, many of the residents face a new problem: a landlord pursuing hundreds of evictions.

At a meeting today between residents and elected officials, several immigrants living one of the city’s few remaining bastions of market rate affordable housing shared a sense of uncertainty and fear as new landlord CIM Group begins taking legal actions against residents.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published January 20, 2021 at 9:00AM

Beyer Praises Biden’s Economic Relief Plan — “Soon we will have a president in the White House, and Democratic leaders controlling Congress, who understand what economists have told us from the beginning–that in order to recover and rebuild from this pandemic you must first control the coronavirus and that rent and food are not going to trickle down to millions of unemployed Americans.” [Beyer.house.gov]

COVID-19 Self-Testing Kiosks Closed Today — “Stay safe on January 20. To ensure the safety of the community and Curative employees, COVID-19 testing kiosks in Alexandria will be closed on Inauguration Day. Pre-register for testing on Tues, Jan 19 or Thurs, Jan 21.” [Twitter]

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Alexandria’s 7.8% July Unemployment a Slight Improvement Over June

By Vernon Miles

Published September 2, 2020 at 2:30PM

Data put out today by the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) shows that nearly 8% of the city was unemployed in July, only a fraction improvement over June’s figures.

The VEC data showed that the city had a civilian labor force of 100,938 in July. Of that, 93,084 remained employed while 7,854 had filed for unemployment.

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A Look at the Slow Road to Economic Recovery in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published August 28, 2020 at 11:30AM | Updated October 18, 2021 at 10:23AM

Consumer spending in Alexandria (image via Oppurtunity Insights)

For Alexandria businesses, things are better than they were, but data from Opportunity Insights shows recovery is a gradual process.

Alexandria’s consumer spending, which was down 25% from January numbers in July, has climbed to 14.8% below January spending levels. The data includes all credit and debit card transactions from an area, so that includes online orders.

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Unemployment Figures Improving Again in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published August 11, 2020 at 10:15AM

After several weeks of staggering increases, both measures of unemployment in Alexandria are improving for the first time since early June.

Initial unemployment claims — the first time claims are filed by someone seeking unemployment — and continued unemployment — claims to continue receiving unemployment — were both down.

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New Unemployment Claims Reach Two-Month High as Numbers Continue to Climb

By Vernon Miles

Published August 3, 2020 at 4:30PM

The number of new unemployment claims in Alexandria has reached levels not seen since early May, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.

The latest numbers show that the number of new unemployment claims — those making their initial unemployment filings — has gone up to 932 for the week of July 25. Between July 18 and July 25, claims increased by 201.

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AEDP Announces Recipients for Business Grant Program with More Funds on the Horizon

By Vernon Miles

Published July 30, 2020 at 4:45PM

The Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) announced a full list of recipients for the program’s ALX B2B program — grant funding aimed at helping local businesses hold out through a sluggish recovery — and is moving forward on another phase of the program.