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Business Assistance

The City of Covina and the Covina Redevelopment Agency are ready to assist businesses with site assembly, one-stop permitting, rehabilitation and retrofitting of existing structures, and on and off-site improvements. Two redevelopment project areas totaling more than 600 acres include opportunities for commercial, industrial, residential, and recreational developments.

Economic Development Job Creation Program:
The Covina Economic Development Job Creation program is designed to create permanent jobs where at least 51% of which, computed on a full-time equivalent basis, involve the employment of low- and moderate-income persons.

A maximum of $100,000 is available to each participant, depending on project viability and available funds, and one low- to moderate-income full-time equivalent employee is to be hired for each $25,000 loaned/granted. Over $300,000 is currnetly available in this program. Click here to see what types of businesses are eligible.

Applications are reviewed for completion, considered by the Financial Committee, and submitted for City Council consideration.

Please contact the Agency for more information at (626) 384-5440.

Shop Covina program and the www.shopcovina.org website

The Shop Covina Program is designed to create awareness of, garner support for, and promote the benefits of shopping locally in Covina. Shop Covina program is more than just a buy local campaign. The Redevelopment Agency working with the Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Committee, the Covina Downtown Association and other local groups will strive to:

Strengthen our local community
Increase awareness and educate consumers and businesses about the need to shop local for the longevity and sustainability of our community
Increase consumer and business spending in Covina
Increase competitiveness of local businesses through;

Education and Training
Business development

Attract customers from other areas to spend in Covina
Attract businesses to Covina
Create a buoyant and sustainable local economy

We are working to accomplish these goals through: advertising (newspaper, web, chamber e-mails, in-store, word of mouth, etc…), web site promotion, e-mail campaigns, and direct mail; providing training opportunities and business related informational brochures for businesses; reviews, newsletters and coupons to drive participants back to the site and onto the local stores; and providing information on City and utility company programs available to businesses, and other business retention and expansion programs available.

The first step is our kick-off campaign featuring the www.ShopCovina.org web site. The web site features a shopping spree contest ($500), a giveaway (Aluminum water bottles) to encourage people to shop in Covina and the ability to sign-up for current and future coupons, newsletters and reviews of Covina businesses. The web site is also the starting point for providing information on why it is important to shop locally. The web site also contains a comprehensive local Dining and Entertainment Guide and information on shopping areas. We will be getting out more information through the Chamber and the CDA about the Shop Covina Program and participating on the site with coupons.

The Andersonville Study of Retail Economics, created by Civic Economics, showed that for every $100 in consumer spending at a local independent businesses, $73 stays in the local economy, and that for every $100 in consumer spending at a local national store $43 stays in the local economy. Whether you shop at a local independent business or a local national chain, shopping locally benefits you and your community. With the assistance of the Chamber of Commerce and groups like the Covina Downtown Association the Redevelopment Agency will work to inform our citizens of the importance of shopping locally and encourage others to shop in Covina.

Storefront Rebate Program
The Storefront Rebate Program is designed to stimulate building improvements and upgrade the appearance of commercial properties within the Covina Downtown and in Shoppers Lane. The façade rebates are provided in recognition of the extremely valuable impact these investments have on the effort to maintain the vitality of joint public/private action and investment in the areas which will complement and enhance the large scale revitalization efforts planned for these areas. The administration of this program is the responsibility of the Covina Redevelopment Agency (Agency).

The program is not intended for routine maintenance of facades. Substantial storefront rehabilitation and/or two or more improvement elements are necessary for program eligibility. Improvements elements may include: façade renovation; signs; doors; windows; awnings; graphics; exterior lighting improvements; landscaping; decorative fencing and landscaping of vacant parcels in connection with a façade treatment; capital improvements such as surface parking lot installation and improvements, sidewalks, lighting, curbs and gutters in conjunction with façade work; and certain types of passive energy conservation improvements. All improvements must conform to the City Building Codes and other Plans adopted for the area. Participant’s proposals will be subject to design review by the Design Review Committee.

Please contact the Agency for more information at (626) 384-5440.

Broker Incentive Program
Promoting economic development is a goal of the Covina Redevelopment Agency. The Broker Incentive Program was developed to assist the Agency with this goal. Licensed real estate brokers who can recruit a business, such as those listed below, within the City of Covina's Azusa Avenue and Citrus Avenue Redevelopment Corridors are eligible to receive the $2,500 incentive.

Desired Business profiles:

Neighborhood markets – such as Fresh & Easy, Henry’s or Trader Joes
Eateries – such as Mimi’s Café, Corner Bakery Café, Ruby’s or Bob’s Big Boy
Juice or frozen yogurt shop – such as Robek’s, Jamba Juice or Golden Spoon
Specialty confectionaries – such as Porto’s Bakery or Marble Slab Creamery
Supercenter, Big Box or Department stores – such as Lowes, Target, Kohls, or Sam’s Club
Apparel stores – such as David’s Bridal, Dress Barn, Big Dog USA, American Apparel

Please contact the Agency for more information at (626) 384-5440.

Business Retention and Expansion Program

The Business Retention and Expansion Program(BRE) is a multi-faceted approach designed to preserve and enhance the City's business environment. The City and Agency recognize the value and importance of a strong and varied business community. We appreciate our businesses as corporate partners with long-term investments in our community. The following statements reflect the specific goals of the BRE.

The City and Agency will maintain and enhance the positive entrepreneurial pro-business approach of City staff as it assists current businesses and new businesses seeking to locate or relocate in Covina.

The City and Agency will seek to enhance communication with the business community regarding areas of interest and concern to their ongoing operations.

The City and Agency will assist and encourage the relocation of strong positive new businesses and retain existing businesses.

The City and Agency will work with the SGV Council of Governments, the SGV Economic Partnership, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, LA Works, and other regional associations to further the economic development of Covina and the San Gabriel Valley.

The City and Agency will assist businesses in efforts to influence legislation and other factors to make Covina, Los Angeles County and California a more attractive place to do business.

The City and Agency will strengthen our competitive economic environment by developing programs and providing financial assistance for new construction and rehabilitation of a range of housing opportunities in the City.

The Agency will consider providing financial assistance to business expansion and relocation where City costs or requirements create a non-competitive building or site condition when compared to surrounding communities or where it furthers the Agency’s Implementation Plan.

Microenterprise Program
“Microenterprise” means a business having five or fewer employees, one or more of whom owns the business. Assistance is provided to a low-to moderate-income person who owns or is developing a Microenterprise.

Up to $10,000 of available CDBG funds will be used to provide financial assistance to an existing Microenterprise or to assist in the establishment of a Microenterprise. The income limit is capped at 80% of median, as defined for the Los Angeles-Long Beach Metropolitan Area by HUD, and based on family size.

Qualifying income for 2008 is as follows:

Family Size	Income Limit
1 person	$42,450
2 person	$48,500
3 persons	$54,600
4 persons	$60,650
5 persons	$65,500
6 persons	$70,350
7 persons	$75,200

Small Business Assistance Programs

The U.S. Chamber's Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) offers Together For Recovery – an initiative that features business offerings available to help cushion the recession and accelerate the recovery for individuals and communities.