Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced on Thursday that $25 million will be added to the city’s Small Business Relief and Recovery Fund (SBRRF). How has the fund worked so far?

When the city was awarded $387 million of federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act funding, the Office of Economic Development came up with the SBRRF plan, which is providing grants of up to $10,000 to Oahu’s small businesses with commercial storefronts — those with 50 or fewer employees and less than $2 million in gross annual income. The grants allow businesses to be refunded for rent, utilities and other costs of operation and interruption, including for COVID-19 measures such as signage, social distancing, personal protective equipment (PPE) and automation.

The fund was launched in May with $25 million of CARES money. Because of strong response, $25 million was added in June; and another $10 million in August to expand the effort to include small business commercial fishermen, and allow previously approved businesses that were not able to claim up to $10,000 to reapply.

In addition, farms and farmers that did not fit the original strict criteria of commercial storefront have been added to into the applicant pool through a system involving Tax Map Key search and confirmation.

So far, working with partner credit unions, nearly 5,500 grants have been given out totaling nearly $50 million; and we’re now extending this program.

How do you reach out to businesses that may have language barriers or other challenges?

Our office has worked with the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, ethnic chambers of commerce, and ethnic nonprofit organizations to help with messaging and in some cases set up community “help centers” to assist those with language and computer problems to submit SBRRF applications. We reached out to Japanese, Chinese, Okinawan, Filipino and Korean communities to set up the centers. One center in Chinatown assisted merchants there, and Ko Song Foundation helped up to 75 Korean merchants apply for over $500,000 in grants.

Also, there’s a “fish-to-dish” program in the works?

Fish-to-Dish is designed to help the industry cope with business losses as a result of the economic downturn caused by COVID-19. Restaurants and stores are not purchasing the amount of fish they previously did, and the entire fishing industry is suffering. The program aims to partner with Hawaii Longline Association (catching fish), United Fishing Industry (selling fish through the Honolulu Fish Auction), and Hawaii Seafood Council (purchasing and distributing fish).

It provides $1.68 million to the Longline Association to assist 140 fishing vessels, paying a percentage of their bait, ice, fuel and other operating expenses over three months. And $660,000 is requested for the Seafood Council to purchase 109,000 pounds of fish in 350,000 portions to be distributed through Hawaii Foodbank to kupuna and people in need on Oahu.

Has the Office of Economic Development (OED) been overseeing other coronavirus-related initiatives?

In the initial phases of the pandemic, OED served as a source for purchasing masks and other personal protection equipment (PPE) to support the city’s first responders and staff. This was facilitated by the close relationship we enjoy with Honolulu’s sister cities and other international relationships developed with countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Now OED is coordinating donations of PPE and food items to the city and community from ethnic groups and international organizations.

Another task OED has been doing is coordinating COVID-19 drive-through testing across Oahu when it involves city property, such as our parks. … OED coordinates with medical providers to schedule these drive-through tests, such as on weekends at Kakaako Waterfront Park, Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex and other community and district parks.

What do you think is economically feasible for Honolulu’s post-pandemic future?

OED is working with the city’s Office of Economic Revitalization (OER), which was established in June, along with the City Council’s Economic Assistance and Revitalization Committee, state agencies and other stakeholders to … look toward revitalizing and diversifying Oahu’s economy. OED stepped in early to provide life support to businesses, especially small businesses, with several grant and support initiatives like SBRRF, Farm to Car, and Boat to Car; OER is looked on to carry these programs forward with additional staffing and initiatives.

Although COVID-19 has been devastating to lives and economic livelihood in Hawaii, I believe it brought about conditions that allow us to restructure the economy going forward — to recreate the visitor industry, make us more self-sufficient to include locally grown produce and our agricultural industry, and to preserve and protect our unique Native Hawaiian cultural heritage we are blessed with and enjoy.

THE BIO FILE

>> Title: Executive director, city Office of Economic Development, since 2017

>> Professional history: Retired Air Force colonel — career intelligence and foreign affairs officer. Last assignment was as director of admissions and support, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu. After leaving the military, led the Japan-America Society of Hawaii for seven years.

>> Personal: Born in Japan; Japanese mother and American serviceman father. As “hapa” and a “service brat,” I spent early years in Japan but moved to California; graduated from high school there. Married to a Japanese-American, also a service brat.

>> One more thing: I have a hobby car — a 1972 BMW 2002tii that’s my daily driver, which I maintain. One of only 4,521 built.