The wait for disaster loan funding is over!

Thanks to legislation approved by Congress and signed by President Biden, SBA has received $2 billion to resume issuing disaster loans. Residents and businesses can now get the disaster loan assistance they need to recover from recent disasters across the nation, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

SBA appreciates the patience of those whose disaster loan applications were on hold during the funding lapse. We will quickly update applicants regarding their loan status and next steps to take.

SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses, and nonprofit organizations to rebuild, repair, and replace disaster-damaged property. Those affected by recent disasters are encouraged to apply for a disaster loan online at sba.gov/disaster or in person at a Disaster or Business Recovery Center. For recovery center locations or application assistance, call (800) 659-2955.

Our Board is seeking individuals who are interested in supporting our local businesses and communities by advocating for our members, as well as non-members, as we build a strong, Chamber of Commerce.

Your time commitment is a once a month 2-to-3-hour board meeting on the last Monday of each month. A commitment to attended chamber functions. And, if interested, contribute to the monthly newsletter and Facebook with your experience. Lastly, help promote the chamber to new and existing members.

The Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce vision is to support our local business by creating a prosperous, inviting hub for those entering our county from the Bay Area and the Sacramento Valley; while focusing on helping our local economy grow, and to promote the natural beauty, history, clean air and quality of life that is Lake County has to offer. If this is something you are interested in, please join our team!

Current Board

President	Russell Perdock
Vice President	Bob Alderman
Treasurer	Russ Cremer
Board Members	Brock Falkenberg Joan Shelley Mingori Leidy Neria Becky Perez Alvaro Valencia

To date, the following have been nominated:

President	Joan Shelley Mingori
Vice President	Bob Alderman
Treasurer	Russ Cremer
Board Members

Please contact the Chamber to nominate yourself or an individual who will fulfil the requirements needed to be a strong, healthy Chamber Board Member.

Please send your nominations to [email protected] by December 20^th.

Elections will be held in person at our January meeting.

Received From:

Disaster Field Operations Center West

Release Date: Oct. 8, 2024	Media Contact: Corey D. Williams (916) 735‑1500 [email protected]
Release Number: CA 20651-01	Follow us on: X, Facebook, Blogs & Instagram

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to California businesses and residents affected by the Boyles Fire that occurred Sept. 8–11, announced Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster in response to a request SBA received from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s authorized representative, Director Nancy Ward of the California Office of Emergency Services, on Oct. 1.

The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma and Yolo counties.

“SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to help California’s small businesses and residents impacted by the Boyles Fire,” said Administrator Guzman. “We’re committed to providing federal disaster loans swiftly and efficiently, with a customer-centric approach to help businesses and communities recover and rebuild.”

“When disasters strike, our Disaster Loan Outreach Centers are key to helping business owners and residents get back on their feet,” said Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “At these centers, people can connect directly with our specialists to apply for disaster loans and learn about the full range of programs available to rebuild and move forward in their recovery journey.”

“Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster,” continued Sánchez. “Beginning Thursday, Oct. 10, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application,” Sánchez added. The center will be open on the days and times indicated below. No appointment is necessary.

LAKE COUNTY
Disaster Loan Outreach Center
Clearlake City Hall
14050 Olympic Dr.
Clearlake, CA 95422
Opens 12:00 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10
Mondays — Fridays, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Closes 5:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

“SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” Sánchez said. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.”

Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to apply for property damage is Dec. 6, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is July 7, 2025.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 16, 2024 

CONTACT: Lauren Nelson, Blue Zones Communications
562-685-6947 |  [email protected]

Becky Salato, KUSD Superintendent
(707) 994-6475 | [email protected] 

Clear Lake, CA — Last week, Konocti Unified School District (KUSD) and Blue Zones, LLC celebrated the launch of the school district’s commitment to a transformative well-being journey to improve the health and happiness of their employees. Over the next three years, KUSD will implement a comprehensive well-being strategy designed to achieve Blue Zones Worksite Certification. This makes KUSD the first school district to embark on this journey.

In the Worksite Certification model, Blue Zones works with employers to optimize working environments and sharpen policies so healthier choices are easier for their employees. KUSD Superintendent Becky Salato expressed her desire to empower her employees: “I’m so excited to leverage this innovative opportunity to enhance our workplace so that every employee feels a change in their own life – whether it’s caring for their mental health, taking time to move more, or finding new ways to nurture work-life balance. This transformation will not only impact our teams but will also positively impact our students, our families, and ripple throughout our entire community.”

KUSD is receiving support from national Blue Zones worksite experts to implement a comprehensive, evidence-based plan for improving employee well-being. Blue Zones is the nationally recognized leader in well-being transformation, and its Worksite Certification model draws upon 20 years of experience in community and longevity science to empower organizations to cultivate thriving work environments. The rigorous, multi-year commitment integrates the Blue Zones approach into the organization’s culture, aligning people, spaces, and policies to foster lasting change.

The Blue Zones Approach

Blue Zones focuses on creating surroundings and systems that default to healthier behaviors. The model is rooted in lessons learned from the world’s healthiest, longest-lived cultures in the original blue zones regions, where residents make healthy choices because those choices are easy—even unavoidable—in their surroundings. 

To celebrate the launch of their workplace transformation, KUSD and Blue Zones celebrated with an all-employee interactive kickoff event – called Explore the Power 9 – on Thursday, February 8. 

Held in the Lower Lake High School gym, the event highlighted opportunities available to all KUSD employees to boost their well-being at home and at school through the various Power 9 principles –lifestyle habits from the world’s blue zones regions. In the “Move Naturally” station, colleagues were inspired to incorporate movement throughout their workday and embrace their inner children with hop-scotch. A “Connect” area reminded colleagues of the energizing effects of joy and laughter with fun activities including a photo booth. Blue Zones-inspired food dishes, provided by the local Blue Zones-inspired restaurant, Rosey Cooks, demonstrated how employees can incorporate more plant-based options into their meals.

During the presentation, guest speaker Margaret Brown, Blue Zones’ Vice President of Business Development, spoke about the three-phased approach that will guide KUSD’s journey. This approach focuses on people, places, and policy to tailor a blueprint for sustainable change. She emphasized KUSD’s recent diligent work with the Blue Zones worksite team and some of the best practices KUSD will implement to meet certification standards, including:

Transform campus environments: Creating and mapping outdoor walking paths for each campus to encourage moving naturally, implementing breakroom initiatives to enhance private spaces for employees to downshift during the day, and other place-based optimizations.

Improve employee policies: Developing a core work hours policy so employees can disconnect from work and connect with their families, friends, and purpose when they are not at work. 

Strengthen Social Connections: Building community through moais (social support groups), employee recognition, and volunteer opportunities.

Enhanced well-being programming: Implementing purpose workshops; mental health, self-care, mindfulness training, and substance use prevention training.

Improved food environment: Providing affordable and nutritious options throughout the workday so it’s easy for employees to eat wisely.

Leadership development: Equipping leaders with skills to cultivate a thriving work environment.

Surrounded by board members and leaders, Salato signed the Blue Zones Worksite Certification Pledge, which signifies KUSD’s commitment to implement the strategies outlined in the blueprint.

Driven by a vision to create a healthier and more vibrant workplace, KUSD secured a grant specifically dedicated to employee well-being. The district will pursue Blue Zones Worksite Certification in addition to the student-focused work that they and other area school districts will participate in to become Blue Zones Project Approved Schools as part of Blue Zones Project – Lake County. 

“KUSD’s commitment to employee well-being through Blue Zones Worksite Certification beautifully complements the ongoing efforts of Blue Zones Project – Lake County. This synergy will demonstrate the power of collective action and further strengthen the positive ripple effect of Blue Zones principles throughout the County to create a healthier, happier community for us all,” said Shelly Trumbo, Blue Zones National Chief Transformations Officer and Lake County resident. “We’re grateful for the tremendous leadership and excitement of KUSD and look forward to celebrating improved well-being for KUSD and the entire community.”

Welcome to the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce’s website!

Since the 1940’s, the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce has been a driving force in the local economy. As a nonprofit organization, the Chamber is dedicated to serving its membership and connecting our members to the consumer community. Our membership is over 300+ businesses strong and growing.

The Chamber understands that in order to have a strong economic environment you must have a strong community. We are truly blessed to have local leaders, business owners, educators, and citizens who realize that we all share in the responsibility of creating economic success and happiness within our community.  It’s is up to us when it comes to the community and region we want to live, work and thrive.

The Chamber has the absolute pleasure of celebrating with all our members! Whether that is in a Ribbon Cutting event and announcement for a new or relocated business, an anniversary of a hard-working business, Honorary Business of the Month, Business of the Year, our networking mixers, or exciting events around Lake County, as we look forward to supporting and celebrating with you in 2024!

Our new website has been growing and playing a big role in marketing businesses and local events, including celebrations whenever possible. Please check out the new website and find how you, or your business or non-profit can become more involved in sharing what you do. We would really like to meet you and to get your message out to the communities and visitors we serve!

If you’re not familiar us or this region, Lake County is located just north of Napa & Sonoma counties. We may be a small, rural county, but we have communities with very large hearts. Located right off Highway 29 & Highway 20, there is easy access to both Sacramento, Ukiah and Santa Rosa areas.  We are also known as the “original wine country” prior to prohibition.  We are surrounded by the beautiful landscapes with vineyards, and hundreds of miles of country roads, with the largest and oldest natural lake in northwestern America. 

Our south county area is growing with new businesses.  Several are opening, including family attractions, wineries, restaurants, and each include many activities. There are hundreds of new homes and apartments being built all over the City of Clearlake. With growth brings new challenges and bright futures and job growth. We need and welcome those looking for careers and/or business opportunities.

I want to thank you all for your support. I especially want to thank my Board of Directors and those ambassadors who share their knowledge of the county with visitors. We appreciate your efforts and countless volunteer hours in promoting the local business community, strengthening community relationships, and making our region and county a better place to live. Our success in achieving our mission and purpose is due to a collaborative effort from the Chamber Board of Directors, City of Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks Business Association and Middletown Merchants, and many other area professionals.

The Chamber invites you to call, click, or stop by our office to learn more about the area and our member businesses. We encourage you to think and shop local! By supporting the businesses in our directory, you are reinvesting in your community.

Sincerely, 
Russ Perdock
CLCC President

Homebuyer Activity Shows Signs of Warming Up for Spring

The spring season appears to be warming up in housing as more and more buyers enter the market. And after rising mortgage rates sidelined so many buyers last year, that’s a good sign for sellers. Says The RE/MAX Elite Partners

“Spring is officially here, and like green shoots emerging from the bleak winter, new data suggests that more buyers are back in the market, although more subdued compared to a year ago.”

We know buyer activity is trending up because of mortgage purchase application data. According to Investopedia:

“A mortgage application is a document submitted to a lender when you apply for a mortgage to purchase real estate.”

That means the number of mortgage applications shows how many buyers are applying for mortgages. Put another way, an increase in mortgage applications means an increase in buyer demand – and as Joel Kan, VP and Deputy Chief Economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), explains, application activity started ramping up as mortgage rates fell steadily in March:

In fact, we can see how mortgage rates have a direct impact on applications over time. As rates rose dramatically last year, applications fell in response (see graph below):

What This Means for You

Buyers are coming this spring, which is typically the busiest time of the year in real estate. And if you’re a Seller, you need to prepare:

“If homeowners are planning to sell in 2023, now is the time to get ready.”

Here is a little local Lake County Real Estate information that is certainly is very interesting – Over the month of March 2023, a total of 80 single family homes were sold per CRMLS (Multiple Listing Service) compared to 51 homes sold in the previous month, and 130 sold during the same time period in 2022.

Our current market has 292 stick-built and manufactured homes available compared to 269 units available last month (February).  The homes sold in March were selling at an average of 90% compared to original list/asking price – this is roughly the same stats as last month, however, less than one year ago homes at this time were selling at 100% of asking price.  Another interesting fact of March sales is that 39% of homes sold had Seller concessions of an average of $8,126.00 a month ago 30% of homes had an average concession amount of $10,085.00 vs. one year ago 31% of homes had an average Seller concession of $6,847.00.

Bottom Line

The housing market is warming up for spring. If you’re thinking about selling your house and taking advantage of this recent uptick in buyer activity, let’s connect.  

We look forward to meeting all the members of the Clearlake Chamber – We are very happy to be new members and look forward to seeing many of you at future events and perhaps even over a nice conversation about Real Estate! 🙂 

There is so much to do and enjoy in our beautiful Lake County… we look forward to some Spring  time and a wonderful Summer season!

Feel free to reach out to me or my fellow Team members directly below or visit our website at: www.ElitePartnersRealEstate.com