More than two dozen businesses impacted by the downturn in sales caused by coronavirus will receive the first city-sponsored relief grants this week.

Nearly $200,000 will be distributed among 31 businesses in Southeast Portland’s Jade District and Northwest Portland’s Old Town Chinatown. All will receive at least $5,000. The grants were prioritized to Asian-owned businesses in those neighborhoods after business owners reported that revenues had dropped by as much as 60% in recent months due to xenophobia, according to city officials.

All but two of the recipient businesses are owned by people who identify as Asian, said Duncan Hwang, associate director of Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon. The nonprofit helped create the grant program and contributed to the funding.

Hwang said 101 businesses applied between March 18 to 23 for the grants, collectively seeking about $1 million to cover lost revenues. From the applicants, 24 businesses in the Jade District and 7 in Old Town Chinatown were selected. Two dozen of the chosen businesses are in the food and restaurant industry, Hwang said.

Hwang said officials considered many factors when they were evaluating applications, including how business owners planned to use the money, how many years they’ve been open and how many employees have been impacted by the downturn.

“This is meant to be an extra tool to help businesses make it until there’s a federal stimulus or something else coming from a state level that can support businesses that are in trouble,” Hwang recently told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Since the Jade District-Oldtown COVID-19 small business response fund, the city has announced other grants and loan programs to help locally owned businesses.

The city began taking applications Monday for a small business grant program through its economic development agency Prosper Portland that it aims to help around 150 businesses with $1 million in aid. Applications will close at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday.

[For more information regarding the Portland Small Business Relief Fund click here]

Here are the businesses chosen to receive the District-Oldtown COVID-19 grants:

Businesses receiving $10,000 grants

Golden Horse | Mandarin House | Ocean City | Wong’s King

Businesses receiving $7,500 grants

Chen’s Good Taste Restaurant | Portland Chinese Times | Pure Spice Chinese Restaurant | Sushi Ichiban | Van Hanh | Yan Zi Lou

Businesses receiving $5,000 grants

Beijing Hotpot | Best Taste Togo | Buddy’s Lounge | Buranko Cafe & Bar | Butterfly | Chinese Art Collection | Hi Yin Hair | Li Min Bakery | Master Kong | Mixteca | Mojo Crepes | New Kings Bakery | Pot & Spicy | Red Robe Tea House & Cafe | Safe Travel Agency | So Good Taste | Studio Buda | Thai Fresh | Theo’s | VG Center | Wing Seafood

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 |@EvertonBailey

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