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Survey finds steep revenue losses for Topanga businesses; county to open targeted business‑interruption fund
Summary
A 35‑question survey of Topanga businesses found widespread revenue loss following the wildfire and road closures. County officials said a Malibu and Topanga business‑interruption fund limited to local ZIP codes is being established, with prospective awards up to $20,000 and an application expected soon.
Local volunteers and the Megaton Council summarized a small‑business survey at the June meeting and said they had presented results to Los Angeles County officials to request targeted relief and marketing support.
Connie (a Topanga business owner who led the survey in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and council volunteers) said the online, 35‑question survey ran for about five weeks and received roughly 16 business responses. Key findings she reported: "78% of all respondents had major revenue loss" and "92% suffered a decline in customers." She told the council that 35% of respondents reported losing 75–100% of revenue and that respondents identified road closures as a primary cause of customer loss.
Connie and council members said many small businesses reported inadequate insurance coverage for wildfire‑related losses, unexpected unreimbursed expenses (relocation, spoiled inventory) and an urgent need for rent or mortgage relief and marketing support to draw customers back. The group asked the county for tailored grant criteria for communities whose primary economic hit came from road closures rather than direct burn damage.
Daniel Vicente of the county told the council the supervisor’s office and the county’s economic team have been assembling a Malibu and Topanga business‑interruption fund to address that gap. "It will be closed only to people in the Topanga and Malibu ZIP codes," Daniel said. He said the program would aim for broad reach and that applicants who already received prior county grants may be considered in the award calculation; he indicated awards could be up to $20,000 and that the county hoped to open applications soon, with outreach and marketing assistance discussed as follow‑up items.
County staff said the countywide small‑business grant program that launched earlier distributed funds to businesses most directly in the burn areas and that applications in Topanga sometimes were marked ineligible for those specific funds because the primary damage there stemmed from post‑fire road closures. Daniel said the county expects to publish official program details and application materials once final approvals and contracting are completed.
Ending: Survey organizers said they will publish anonymized summary results and work with county staff on outreach; county representatives said they will circulate the application and supporting guidance when the fund is ready.
