WAMU, September 18, 2020: D.C. Businesses In Majority Black Neighborhoods Waited Longer For Federal Pandemic Aid
At the start of the pandemic, when shutdown orders went into effect, many businesses faced a frightening scenario: revenue came to an abrupt halt while expenses continued to pile up. But the businesses that most needed help had to wait the longest for it to arrive, according to a new analysis of federal data.
The analysis by The Brookings Institution found that small businesses in majority Black ZIP codes waited on average 37 days to receive federal funding through the Paycheck Protection Program — 10 days longer than businesses in majority white ZIP codes in the District.
