The recent Eaton Fire has affected many in our community, and we understand how challenging these moments can be for both businesses and property owners. We want to ensure that all businesses in Playhouse Village have access to the resources and support available to help with recovery. Below, we’ve compiled key information about loans, grants, and other resources that may be useful for businesses affected by the recent wildfires and windstorms.
Latest Updates
New Paid Street Parking Program
After many years of planning, paid street parking is coming soon to parts of Playhouse Village. With new multi-space meters and pay-by-app capability, visitors will soon be able to find parking more quickly, park for longer than current time limits, and pay easily via smartphone or credit card. While introducing paid parking will be a significant transition for businesses, employees and visitors alike, the goal is to generate benefits including improved access, safety, and quality of life for everyone who makes Playhouse Village a thriving place, such as:
- Maintaining and improving parking infrastructure
- Enhancing pedestrian and streetscape amenities
- Supporting local mobility programs
- Contributing to neighborhood beautification and safety efforts
The process will begin with installing pay stations on sidewalks in October and November 2025. During this period, City crews will test equipment but pay stations and meters will NOT be operational. Starting in early January 2026, pay stations will become operational and begin accepting payment. To learn about parking rates, meter zone locations, the parking commission, and more, visit the Playhouse Village On-Street Parking page on the City of Pasadena website.
North Hollywood to Pasadena BRT Project Update
The North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project is part of Metro’s plan for better transit. This project will connect the cities of Los Angeles (North Hollywood and Eagle Rock communities), Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena through a new zero-emission BRT service while improving access to jobs, education, and other important destinations.
Metro will be conducting exploratory potholes and slot trenching for the NoHo to Pasadena BRT Project during permitted hours of 9 AM – 4 PM at the following intersections:
- E. Colorado Blvd / Los Robles Ave: September 29–30
- E. Colorado Blvd / S. Lake Ave: October 1–8
An update on the NoHo/Pasadena BRT Project is due to be presented at the PVA Economic Development & Transportation Committee meeting on October 9 at 8:30 am via Zoom. If you would like to join this meeting, please contact brian@playhousevillage.org for more details.
LA County Emergency Resources for Workers and Businesses is Live
LA Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and partners have compiled information, programs, and resources for workers and businesses affected by the Los Angeles fires. Resources include webinars, loans (local, state, and federal), grants, financial counseling, legal services, insurance and tax information, workforce assistance, FEMA emergency relief, business technical assistance, and more. Visit bit.ly/DEOWildfireResponse to learn more.
B-2-B Space Share
Got room to spare? Help a displaced business thrive. LA County has launched Business-to-Business Space Share, a free exchange platform that connects displaced businesses, including non-profits, to temporary workspaces generously donated by other businesses throughout LA County. If you have space to donate, check out the FAQ for instructions on how to get added to this directory.
Webinars
Social Media Webinars
Social Media: The Newsletter Isn’t Dead. It’s Evolving (FREE)
Short-form video is one of the most powerful tools small businesses have today—but success isn’t about chasing viral moments. It’s about showing up consistently with content that connects. In this strategy-focused session, you’ll learn how to create videos that reflect your brand, resonate with your ideal audience, and actually support your business goals.
Thursday, March 12 @12PM-2PM | Hosted by A&M-Victoria Small Business Development Center
How to Create Your 2026 Social Media Content Calendar Faster and Easier with AI (FREE)
This workshop will walk step by step through how to map out your weekly and monthly content in minutes instead of hours. You’ll learn how to use AI tools to brainstorm ideas, organize themes, write captions, and repurpose content so your marketing works even when you’re busy.
Wednesday, January 15 @10AM-11:30AM | Hosted by Long Beach SBDC
How to Stay Consistent with Your Content Creation Without Burnout (FREE)
Struggling to keep up with content demands to stay consistent without sacrificing quality? This interactive workshop will be a game-changing strategy where you’ll learn how to create a content development process that can help you produce more content in less time, allowing you to work smarter – not harder.
Saturday, January 17 @7AM-8AM | Hosted by SCORE Orlando
Marketing Webinars
Marketing Essentials for Business Growth: Build Your Visibility & Drive Results (FREE)
This hands-on workshop is designed to help you understand and implement the core marketing strategies every business needs to grow. In this session, we’ll break down the essentials and help you build a solid foundation to boost your visibility, attract customers, and stay consistent with your outreach. Whether you’re just getting started or need to tighten up your marketing game, this workshop will give you clarity and action steps.
Thursday, March 12 @9-10:30AM | Hosted by Long Beach SBDC
The Importance of Vision and Mission When Marketing Your Business (FREE)
If you are a business owner and someone asks you, “What do you do?” you need to answer with an easy-to-follow story that gets to the heart of the matter, explaining what you do, why you do it, and how people benefit from using your products or services. This workshop examines how to build your story, focusing on two key components: your Vision and your Mission.
Thursday, March 12 @12pM-1:30PM | Hosted by Long Beach SBDC
How To Sell When You’re Not A Salesperson (FREE)
This workshop has been built to help you learn much of what you need to know, like understanding the components of an effective sales pitch, learning the tools necessary to build an effective pitch for your business/product, and so much more.
Thursday, March 19 @5PM-6PM | Hosted by Long Beach SBDC
Creating an Effective Public Relations Plan (FREE)
In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn the fundamentals of launching a public relations campaign. Attendees will discover the importance of research, planning, identifying key customers and developing strategies and tactics and be guided step-by-step through the process of creating their own public relations campaign.
Tuesday, January 20 @2-3:30PM | Hosted by El Camino College SBDC
Operations Webinars
Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Basics (FREE)
This webinar will provide small business owners with the basics of artificial intelligence (AI), such as what is “AI”; common terms and definitions such as “generative AI,” “machine learning” and “foundation models”; laws governing AI, common AI issues with intellectual property, employees, and independent contractors, liability issues, and best practices.
Thursday, March 12 @ 12M-1PM | Hosted by College of the Canyons SBDC College of the Canyons
Registration Required
Customer Service: Improve Your Establishment’s Approach to Communication (FREE)
In any small or full-service restaurant, customer service is key. Interactions between staff/customers will influence the overall customer experience and these impacts can create a lasting positive (…or negative) impression, depending on how they are handled.
Monday, March 23 @ 11AM-12:30PM | Hosted by Pacific Coast Regional SBDC
Registration Required
Human Resources: New Rules for the New Year 2026 (FREE)
Human Resources laws change every year and business owners must be ready to implement the new mandatory policies that pertain to your business. Topics include updated minimum wage, workplace violence prevention, victims of crime, paid family leave benefits, indoor heat illness, and much more!
Wednesday, January 15 @ 9AM-10AM | Hosted by Pacific Coast Regional SBDC
Registration Required