SLO County Declared Eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance

On January 17, 2023 the Major Disaster Declaration for the State of California (FEMA-4683-DR) for severe winter storms was amended to include the County of San Luis Obispo for individual assistance, debris removal, and emergency protective measures. Residents of SLO County who incurred financial losses due to storm damage are encouraged to apply for assistance online at www.disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362. 

SBA Disaster Loan Assistance

The SBA offers disaster assistance in the form of low interest loans to businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters located in regions affected by declared disasters. SBA also provides eligible small businesses and nonprofit organizations with working capital to help overcome the economic injury of a declared disaster. Learn more about home and personal property, business and economic injury loans. Helpful fact sheets available for download in English and Spanish.

SLO County Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) Information

A Disaster Recovery Center is now open for residents who were affected by the January storms.  Even if you have already applied for FEMA assistance, residents are encouraged to come to find out what other assistance may be available. 
Location: San Luis Obispo Veteran's Hall
Address: 801 Grand Ave, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Hours: 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM - 7 days a week
To arrange for transportation assistance to get to the DRC call (805) 781-5678.

COVID-19 Testing Center at Paso Train Station Closes in January

The COVID-19 community testing site located at the Train Station in Paso Robles closed on January 20 along with many others across California following the loss of State funding.  The no-cost community testing site had been funded by the California Department of Public Health, with operational support provided by San Luis Obispo County. Alternative testing locations can be found HERE.

Residential Permits Rebound

In 2022, valuation, permit counts, and residential permits issued were all UP, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers with record setting performance.  Highlights for 2022 include:
-- 1365 permits issued
-- 284 new housing units
-- 367,000 sf of new commercial/industrial buildings
-- 4588 inspections
-- Total permit valuation of $160 million
For information on building permit applications, fees, and more details visit the City of Paso Robles website.

Community Asked to Test Internet Access and Speed

The cities of Paso Robles and Atascadero, through their joint broadband strategy project, and the Broadband Consortium of the Pacific Coast, have launched an internet needs assessment survey and speed test campaign for the public to self-report their digital experiences and internet speeds at home, work, or wherever they connect. More information

Special Royal Air Force Event at the Paso Robles Municipal Airport

Tour the Royal Air Force Airbus A400 at the Paso Robles Municipal Airport on Sunday, February 5, 2023, between 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM.  Schedule is subject to change. Your RSVP ensures that you are notified if there are any changes in schedule or cancellations. Download an informational flyer HERE.

North County Job Boards

Looking for work or looking to hire staff? 
Here are several North County Job Boards listing a wide range of available positions:

• Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Classifieds
  
  
• Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce Job Board
  
  
• City of Paso Robles Job Openings

The "Pipeline" Report

Check out the numerous projects in process in our community.  The City of Paso Robles Community Development Department publishes The "Pipeline" Report with the status of Planning Entitlements and Building permits throughout the City. Click here to learn more.

How To Create A Marketing Plan For Your Small Business

Are you overwhelmed by all the marketing choices for your business? Not sure how or where to spend your time and money? It sounds like you need a marketing plan! Without a plan in place, you could potentially waste thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours trying to grow your business. In this webinar, you will learn how to create a marketing plan, define your brand, determine your audience and find where to advertise to get a positive return on investment.

Step-by-Step Email Marketing Guide For Your Business

Email marketing has consistently shown to have the highest return on investment compared to any other form of business marketing, but to see a large return on investment, you need to understand the basics of email marketing.  In this webinar, you will learn the basics of email marketing and techniques to help you build an email list, write a compelling email and create a content calendar.

Social Media Marketing Strategies for Your Small Business

Social media can be a powerful tool for small business owners to market their products and services directly to their customers. However, social media can also be overwhelming. Which platform do you post on? How often should you post? What do you post and when? In this webinar, you will learn the basics every business owner should know about social media marketing and the latest trends you should follow.

Small Business Tax Questions - Ask the CPA 2023

Tax season will be here sooner than you think!  If you have tax questions, we have tax answers. Join for this LIVE Q&A session with certified CPA and small business tax expert Micah Fraim.  A whole hour dedicated to answering your tax-related questions and concerns, offering tax advice you can implement throughout the year.

How To Apply for a Business License

Find out how to apply for a business license, including fees, taxes, and other required permits and forms.  The Department of Administrative Services is responsible for providing service to the general public, business license applicants and each existing licensee. Our objective is to assist each business in obtaining the proper business license and/or permit and to ensure proper compliance to the business license code for all businesses transacting business within the city.  

City Website Business Tools  

The City has updated the Economic Development section on the City website.  Details on related programs along with specialized business development tools can be found in this section, including tools for Business Data, Smart Mapping, Demographic Data, Talent Pool, Opportunity Zone, Community Profile, and links for researching commercial property listings.

Public Mapping Applications

The City IT department has been hard at work developing and implementing the City’s new ArcGIS Enterprise system. This new platform will replace ArcReader and has allowed for the development of both public and staff GIS desktop and mobile applications. There are a number of applications already being utilized with additional functionality and layer content on the way.  Visit the City website and take the new mapping tools for a spin!

THE SANDBOX Paso Robles

THE SANDBOX Paso Robles is a co-working, shared office & event space offering a variety of dedicated and private desks and offices as well as meeting spaces that are perfect for remote workers, entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses, freelancers and more.