Businesses that were displaced by the Southland wildfires could find a temporary workspace through a new program, county officials announced today.
The county’s Department of Economic Opportunity introduced an initiative called the Business-to-Business Space Share, which serves as a free exchange platform connecting displaced businesses and nonprofits to temporary workspaces donated by other businesses throughout the L.A. region.
Businesses interested in donating or finding space can visit the Business-to-Business Space Share portal at https://sharespace.lacounty.gov/.
L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said she came up with the idea after speaking with Whittier Councilwoman Cathy Warner, who has a periodontal practice in East Whittier with her husband.
Warner, who sees patients in her office three days a week, offered her space to other periodontists to use.
With this in mind, Hahn proposed using an L.A. County website to facilitate this exchange of goodwill and connect businesses countywide.
“If you have space, this is how you can help. Whether you can offer a space where a dentist can treat their patients, a hair stylist can keep their appointments, a lawyer can see their clients, or any other space, you will be helping someone in need maintain their livelihood and helping our economy through this crisis,” Hahn said in a statement.
The website is maintained by the county’s Internal Services Department, and it will be available for a limited time.
Through the Space Share portal, businesses with available space can post listings with details such as location, capacity and availability. Displaced business owners can browse the listings to find workspaces that best meet their needs.