Grant programs developed by the city to help those businesses and families most affected financially by the COVID-19 pandemic drew a good number of responses in their first week, despite some glitches due in part to a rush of applications overwhelming existing computer systems, city officials said.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell has committed $50 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) money for the Small Business Relief and Recovery Program and $25 million for the Hardship Relief for Individuals program.

As of end of day Friday:

>> The small-business program had received 3,916 applications and disbursed $4.89 million, according to Ed Hawkins, director of the city Office of Economic Development.

>> The family and individual hardship program, through nonprofit partners Aloha United Way and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, received 1,044 applications and pre-qualification applications, said Pam Witty-Oakland, the city’s community services director.

To qualify for either program, applicants need to show proof of economic injury due to the pandemic.

Four Oahu nonprofit credit unions are processing the small-business program applications: Hawaii State Federal Credit Union, Honolulu Federal Credit Union, Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union and HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union. They are being paid a 2.5% administrative fee. Applicants don’t have to be members of any of the credit unions to apply.

The program’s website opened for business at noon May 18 and, by the time it closed at 4 p.m., had received applications from 1,800 businesses, Hawkins said. That was despite a technical glitch. One of the credit unions initially couldn’t handle the load, and its computer system crashed, he said.

Those technical issues were resolved in the first few days, and the credit unions promised to process applications through the three-day weekend, Hawkins said.

The program entitles those awarded to obtain grants one time for up to $10,000. The money needs to be used for general operating expenses or to modify establishments to comply with rules for reopening.

Hawkins said that comes out to between 2,300 and 2,500 applicants. The reason the program hasn’t doled out more money is because many applications are being submitted incomplete.

In other cases, people didn’t have receipts because they didn’t have the money upfront to purchase goods or services. “Because this is a reimbursement program, we need some kind of proof of payment,” Hawkins said. “That has really caused a backlog on the approval process, and we’re addressing that.”

One possibility is for the program to accept unpaid invoices to address the concern that many can’t pay upfront with available cash, Hawkins said.

To be eligible, a business must employ 30 or fewer people and earn less than $1 million in annual gross revenue. It also must have a commercial address, and those with home businesses had to be rejected, Hawkins said. That was another reason not more people received awards, he said.

The decision was made to give priority to those with commercial storefronts because they’re likely to have more expenses, he said. Allowing some home businesses to qualify may be considered for the second $25 million tranche, which may be made available for the program this week.

As for the $25 million individuals and family hardship program, Witty-Oakland said COVID-19 hit families of varied household income levels severely, and those with income levels up to 100% of area median income are eligible, she said. On Oahu the 2020 income limit for a family of four is $120,500; for a couple, $96,400; and for a single person, $84,400.

Those accepted can receive up to $1,000 a month for mortgage, rent and electrical or gas utilities. Eligible families also may be able to receive up to $500 a month for child care services.

Recipients can collect for up to six months but must requalify monthly.

Payments are paid directly to the landlords, mortgage companies, utilities and approved child care facilities directly by the nonprofits, which are receiving a flat fee of $147 for each application processed.

“The first couple days of the week, we didn’t have all the software up, but we currently have applications available online,” she said. On the first day, AUW’s website was not able to meet capacity, so it could accept applications only by phone, but that was fixed by Wednesday, she said.

“With that access readily available to families, we’re hoping that more people in need will apply,” she said.

More money may be made available for the program if necessary, Witty-Oakland said.

For information on both programs go to oneoahu.org.