Venice: Economic Impacts Of Coronavirus From LA County

Press release from the Venice Chamber of Commerce:

February 16, 2021

To achieve meaningful recovery, we first need to have a clear picture of where we are. LA County's Workforce Development, Aging, and Community Services Department has released an in-depth report on the economic impacts of COVID-19 and the most viable pathways for recovery for the County's industries, workers, and communities.

The report confirmed some troubling repercussions: the racial wealth gap has widened, many communities of color lack the broadband access to keep up with the changes caused by COVID-19, and LA County lost a significant number of jobs, a fraction of which have been recovered. But the report also identifies ways to respond to these challenges that will not only fuel economic recovery but also address underlying inequities that existed far before 2020.

In every crisis, we try to find an opportunity. LA County has lost a devastating number of jobs, but, in planning our recovery, we can, and should, prioritize investments in small and minority-owned businesses, stabilize workforce housing, develop job training in sectors that we know will continue to grow, expand childcare because it's so essential for working parents, and move toward providing universal broadband access.

Read the report here.

This press release was produced by the Venice Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed are the author's own.