Perth Amboy was among the hardest-hit areas early on in New Jersey’s coronavirus crisis and now it’s looking to get back on its feet.
The waterfront city in Middlesex County was ravaged early on economically when Gov. Phil Murphy closed all non-essential businesses in March, affecting its mostly Latino-run commerce, and socially as the majority of its Latino population are essential workers that, for the most part, don’t have the luxury of working from home.
With favorable data now pointing to a decline in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations around the state that was an early hotspot, local officials are moving to help their economies get back on track at pre-pandemic levels — albeit with strict measures enforced as the virus rages elsewhere around the nation.
Perth Amboy is no exception, although it’s banking on a new way to do so — awareness in two languages, English and Spanish.
Mayor Wilda Diaz, who was elected 12 years ago and whose parents came to New Jersey from Puerto Rico in the 1950s, is hoping to bring that community feeling to a large city rich in culture and diversity with a new initiative to get businesses back on track along with safety protocols.
"Our people always band together in crisis and this city is resilient," Mayor Diaz said. "We'll get through this and we're going to help in every way possible"
Perth Amboy and the Business Improvement District is looking to kickstart its economy after being ravaged by the coronavirus earlier this year. From left: Samuel Quezada, BID board member; Noelia Colon, BID/UEZ executive director; Wilda Diaz, mayor; Jeff Steuber, BID board member; Jeanette Rios, mayor’s aide and BID board member
The city and its Business Improvement District recently launched a grant assistance program with a total of $180,000 readily available for Perth Amboy’s small businesses that provide them with up to $3,500 to cover payroll costs.
The “Back to Business” initiative also assists with coronavirus testing capabilities with Jewish Renaissance Medical Center on hand as a partner to conduct such testing at the Raritan Bay Area YMCA for both business owners and employees.
It’s one of the most innovative ways for Perth Amboy’s businesses to understand their local leaders are behind them, Mayor Diaz said, especially with uncertainty and anxiety still hovering. Some folks want to work, shop, eat and spend money, but in the most careful way to keep their families safe. Businesses want to open, serve and make money, she added, in the safest way possible.
“The smaller moms-and-pops and shops, they’re not like the larger corporations and supermarkets that have the resources to adapt,” Diaz said. “They’ve had to reinvent themselves and are looking to make up for what they’ve lost.”
Restaurants are also key in bringing back Perth Amboy's economy with outdoor dining. The city is waiving $350 in application and permit fees that's normally assessed when looking to set up a sidewalk cafe atmosphere in hopes of creating a vibrant ambiance with music and arts serving as a backdrop.
Her vision is to have a bustling restaurant scene, socially-distanced, of course, with satisfied customers and business owners.
Diaz has already seen the results from working with code enforcement and the municipal clerk’s office. “As a Latina, I’m proud to see that talent brought outside for all to see,” she said.
Perth Amboy and the Business Improvement District is looking to kick-start its economy after being ravaged by the coronavirus earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the Business Improvement District has met with personal-care businesses to offer tips and guidance, in English and Spanish, on measures to implement as more customers come in, with help from the Perth Amboy Police Department and the Office of Emergency Management.
What was originally supposed to be an intimate meeting with hair salon and barber shop entities turned into a larger event with about 85 to 90 people that pushed the meeting outdoors, said Noelia Colon, executive director of the Business Improvement District.
Also, with Fourth of July festivities canceled because of the pandemic, funds to plan those events were redirected to establish a non-profit committee called Celebrate Perth Amboy COVID-19 Help that’s already seen skyrocketing fundraising, which was used to help purchase tons in groceries for families in need.
“It’s exceeded our expectations,” Colon said. “That’s the beauty of Perth Amboy — we look to help one another.”
Perth Amboy has the ingredients to beat the economic challenges even as a new study says New Jersey is suffering one of the worst unemployment rates in the country.
With a vulnerable population of immigrants and Spanish-speaking residents, a group that’s been disproportionately affected by the pandemic based on multiple studies and reports, Perth Amboy officials aren’t letting up and it’s noticeable in their efforts to bring everyone together in a time of need.
In Latin America, the phrase “en los paises de uno” is defined as “in one’s country” and is conversely raised when one refers to a certain custom or culture that originates from their respective nations. In this case, the richness in backgrounds around Perth Amboy — from Cuban and Dominican to Peruvian and Mexican — focuses on one city and its residents.
Mayor Diaz said she is making sure no one is left behind, “porque todos somos unidos (because we’re all united).”
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Nestor F. Sebastian may be reached at NSebastian@njadvancemedia.com.
The Link LonkJuly 30, 2020 at 12:32AM
https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/07/hard-hit-nj-city-looks-to-kick-start-economy-with-focus-on-small-businesses.html
Hard-hit N.J. city looks to kick-start economy with focus on small businesses - NJ.com
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