Website For Restaurants To Apply For COVID-19 Relief Grants Crashes Within First Hour

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The website for the Los Angeles County program that allows restaurants to apply for COVID-19 relief grants crashed Thursday within its first hour of operation and has not been accessible since.

The program, which began accepting applications Thursday, allows restaurant owners to apply for grants up to $30,000 after the county temporarily closed in-person outdoor dining last week.

Officials with the Los Angeles County Development Authority, which is administering the grants, said the website crashed due to the "surge" of applicants.

A message on the website states IT staffers are working to get it back up and running.

Elisa Vasquez, a spokeswoman for the LACDA, said about 6,000 applicants tried to start an account through the portal and it crashed. According to Vasquez, only one application has been fully submitted and 315 applications are currently being reviewed.

"Clearly, the need is great and we are working diligently to bring the application back online," acting LACDA Executive Director Emilio Salas said. "Restaurant owners and operators should be assured that this grant program is still available and we are committed to supporting our small, local businesses during this difficult time."

Applications are slated to be accepted through 11:59 p.m. Sunday or when 2,500 applications are received, whichever comes first, and will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis by supervisorial district.

Vasquez said the deadline could be expanded depending on when the application portal is back up and running.

More information can be found at keeplacountydining.lacda.org or by calling 626-943-3833.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)