Crisis Response Guide for the Financially Vulnerable

Help Is Out There

Covid is a challenge for all of us. Support is available from emergency grants to freelancers, exclusive hours at markets for seniors, and health care for the unsheltered.

Links and resources here.

UPDATED 26 JULY: NEWLY ADDED LINKS ARE HIGHLIGHTED

LA County Health & Safety Information Website

For Everyone

For Freelancers/Small Business

For Seniors

For the LGBTQ+ Community

For the Disabled Community

For Immigrants and the Undocumented

For Service Workers

For the Unsheltered and Housing Insecure

ORGANIZE LOCALLY

Right now is a critical time to organize at the hyper-local level. Make sure you, your family, and your neighbors are setting up systems to share support, supplies, and information during this challenging moment. LA Forward is here to help you join or organize a mutual aid network for your building, block, or neighborhood. Learn more here: https://www.losangelesforward.org/mutualaid

For Everyone

Resources | COVID-19: Keeping Los Angeles Safe - Regularly Updated Resources from the City of Los Angeles covering Students and Education, Safety and Support, Testing and Health, Food and Supplies, Workers and Renters, Businesses, Information, and Immigrants
Community Food Distribution - Every other Thursday 11AM - 3PM - Chuco's Justice Center - 7625 S Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90001 - Free Food Distribution for families, youth and individuals in need - For more information please call (562) 658-5130 / (310) 594-6037
Village for Vets - Village for Vets fills critical gaps in key services for homeless and at-risk veterans in greater Los Angeles. Through programs providing meals, emergency grants, support for basic needs, social support, and links to additional services, Village for Vets helps ensure Los Angeles’ homeless and at-risk veterans don’t fall through the cracks. Check out their COVID-19 resources if you or someone you know is a veteran in need of support.
COVID-19 Testing Sites in Los Angeles County - Testing is currently available for LA County residents with signs or symptoms of COVID-19 or have been contact with a person known to be exposed to someone with a confirmed COVID-19 based on the LA Department of Public Health recommendations.
Covered CA Insurance - Health Insurance for California
Garcetti's Free Legal Aid Program - Volunteer attorneys will help renters facing trouble with their living situation, victims of domestic violence and people dealing with debt. An attorney "support system" will also be available for small businesses hit hard by the pandemic, and offers legal advice such as ways to "navigate new workplace rules," renegotiate commercial leases, comply with health and safety orders and apply for government loans.
California Labor Secretary Julie Su's Twitter has some helpful and constantly updated tips and advice around unemployment on her Twitter.
CA Self-Employed Unemployment Help (unofficial) - FB group with lots of informative, crowdsourced, resources and tips around applying for UI as a 1099er.
Unofficial CA Unemployment Help - another helpful FB for all filers but most geared towards W2.
Mike Bonin, 11th District City Council, has built an excellent resource page. Here are some highlights:

… ask questions about your rights or file a complaint:

Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department

Contact: 866-557-7368

… get legal advice:

Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County

Contact: 800-433-6251

… get advice or other support from advocates:

Contact: contactces@earthlink.net

LADWP will not shut off power to any customers who cannot pay their bill as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The enforcement of eviction orders for renters affected by COVID-19 has been banned by the order of the Governor.
Renters in Los Angeles are subject to additional protections, including a 12-month period to pay back past due rent once the crisis ends.
Legal & Eviction Defense Resources

Eviction Defense Network - If you’re a renter having problems with your landlord, we can help you. The Eviction Defense Network operates by providing FREE consultations on a first-come, first-served basis.
Bet Tzedek Legal Services – bettzedek.org – (323) 939 – 0506
Coalition for Economic Survival – cesinaction.org – (213) 252 – 4411
Housing Rights Center of Los Angeles – housingrightscenter.org – (800) 477- 5977
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles – lafla.org – (800) 399 – 4529
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County – nlsla.org – (800) 433 – 6251
HCID LA – hcidla.lacity.org – (866) 557-7368 (file an eviction complaint with the City)

Please check out the full resource page

US citizens should be receiving checks or direct deposits thanks to the stimulus bill that recently passed. If you don't normally get a refund and the IRS doesn't have your banking information you can go here to enter your banking information. https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments
Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights - Employees may be eligible for up to 12 weeks or full or partial pay for caring for children home due to school closures.
Financially vulnerable freelancers can find tips at: https://ilovecreatives.com/hosted-ads/corona-loans-and-unemployment
Los Angeles residents (regardless of immigration status) with total annual incomes that fell below the federal poverty level prior to the COVID-19 crisis and have fallen into deeper economic hardship during the crisis because at least one household member has lost a job or experienced a reduction in income of at least 50% can qualify for an Angeleno Card. This is a prepaid debit card in an amount between $700-$1500 depending on family unit size. Apply at https://hcidla.lacity.org/
https://coregives.typeform.com/to/SnZmOQ - Food and Beverage employees with children who have anyone in their family diagnosed with Coronavirus can apply for support
Many credit cards will waive fees and defer payments so contact your credit card company.
Car insurance companies may also reduce or waive payments so if you have car insurance call your provider.
ATT will waive fees - apply online here:https://www.att.com/help/covid-19/waive-overage-fee/
SoCal Gas is letting customers apply for CARE to receive 20% off of their bill. Just login and apply.
Assistance for Californians Affected by the Coronavirus - An overview of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act with instructions for how to apply.
Covid-19 Eviction Moratorium - To assist residential renters who have been economically impacted by the Coronavirus, the Mayor and the City Council have adopted tenant protections on evictions and rent increases in the City of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Tenants Union's List of COVID-19 Resources - Compiled by and for the LA Tenants Union to serve tenants navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, but useful for many others in the greater Los Angeles area.
What to do if you get an eviction notice - Curbed LA’s guide to LA’s renter assistance program.
Relief Funds For Undocumented Workers In California - Legal Aid at Work will be updating this list as new information becomes available. See their website for more information on the job-related legal rights of undocumented workers.
LA Jobs Portal - For those whose jobs have been impacted by COVID-19, this website enables unemployed or underemployed Angelenos to find and apply to job opportunities, so they can start working right now.
How to Help Entertainment Professionals Affected by the Coronavirus - A guide on how to provide aid to entertainment industry professionals suffering economic distress and how to apply for aid if you have been impacted.
LA's City Small Business Emergency Microloan Program - The newly established Small Business Emergency Microloan Program now provides financing needed to strengthen small business enterprises in this time of acute need that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Resource and checklist for small business loan program - Helpful, especially, if you are a freelancer with your own LLC.
Street Vendor Emergency Relief Fund - A fund that will provide direct cash assistance to vendors who can not access resources from the government.
Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund - Cash assistance to restaurant workers, car service drivers, delivery workers, personal service workers and more who need the money they aren’t getting to survive.
Los Angeles City Small Business Emergency Microloan Program - The newly established Small Business Emergency Microloan Program now provides financing needed to strengthen small business enterprises in this time of acute need that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
LAUSD Interactive map of food pick up sites for students
LAUSD Fund for students who need meals and school supplies
COVID-19 Resources for California’s Nonprofits
Looking for jobs you can do at home? - An ever evolving list of remote jobs that is broken down by location and tagged with industries.
SPECTRUM Internet- offering 60 days of free wifi for low income families. - Charter/Spectrum Broadband
Charter COMCAST - Free Internet Service for Households with Children - to enroll: 844.488.8395
Tracking list of what is opened and closed in Los Angeles - LA Times
Tracking list of companies providing food, major discounts or food accessibility. - NYT
Unemployment Benefits for Californians - Tips for applying:

If you have lost work due to COVID-19 and applying for unemployment in CA you HAVE TO TELL THEM that the reason is because of the virus to get the waiting period waived. If you don't mention you lost work, you will wait the normal time.
They need your SSN, DL/ID number, have a list of employers you have worked with since Oct 2018 in any state. If you are freelance, UEI does not require you to state the days worked. Have the payroll company information handy (address, etc.), UEI will be looking for Payroll information, not the company that you worked for.

Small Business Disaster Loan Application - The SBA can provide up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

Small Business
Small agricultural cooperative
Most private non-profit organizations

A great guide from the Little Tokyo Service Center for Small Business Resources
State Tax filing deadline extended to July 15
LAUSD Grab and Go Food Centers - The centers will be open weekdays from 7 to 10 am, and each child can take home two nutritious meals.
Everytable - The Everytable Helpline is open: (323) 458-6487. They will do whatever it takes to ensure that everyone across greater LA has access to health meals.
Los Angeles Food Bank Pantry Locator - Need food? Please call the pantry to verify that this information is current. Most pantries serve according to geographical service area. Food pantry clients should bring photo identification with them to the pantry. The identification should show client’s current residential address. Some pantries have an application process and ask clients for documents supporting income. However, all clients will be served the first time regardless of completion of application and service area.
Philanthropy CA - Massive list of philanthropic funds offering aid to a large range of areas and groups.