COVID-19 Hotel Recovery Grant Program Application
In May of 2022 the Council of the District of Columbia passed legislation amending the COVID-19 Hotel Recovery Grant Program Act of 2021 (COVID-19 Hotel Recovery Grant Program Emergency Amendment of 2022) to enable more hotels to be eligible for still existing grant funds. The legislation reduced the percentage of revenue loss that a hotel had to have experienced in 2020 as compared to 2019 from 40% to 35%. If your hotel business did not previously receive a grant through the COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program in recent months, and you meet the amended 35% financial distress threshold for revenue, RevPAR, or occupancy, you may be eligible to receive a maximum of $2,833 per room/key (capped at 300 rooms/keys) towards designated costs and expenses. To be awarded the grant funds, a lodging business must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Be physically located in the District of Columbia
- Have an active hotel, inn, motel, or bed and breakfast lodging business license
- Be in good standing with the District of Columbia’s Office of Tax and Revenue
- Have opened and begun operating during 2020 or 2021; or have remained open and operating during 2020 and 2021, except for any interruptions required by Mayor’s Orders 2020-045 and 2020-046 and subsequent public health emergency orders; and
- For a business that remained open and operating in 2019, have experienced in 2020, as compared to end-of-year 2019, at least a 35% reduction in: occupancy, revenue, or revenue per available room.
- For a business that was closed or partially closed in 2019, have experienced in 2020, as compared to end-of-year 2018, at least a 35% reduction in: occupancy, revenue, or revenue per available room.
- For a business that opened and began operating between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021, have incurred significant costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as determined by the Mayor.
- Provide all necessary documentation and execute a grant agreement.
- Agree to expend all grant funds by September 30, 2022 and submit monthly reports and documentation on how the grant funds were spent.
- Grantee must expend at least 80% of the grant award on payroll and fringe/benefits (including healthcare). If Grantee proves it cannot meet the 80% payroll/fringe requirement, DMPED may waive this requirement if the hotel commits to 1) participate in the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment program (MBSYEP) for three consecutive years starting in summer of 2022, as long as it remains in operation, and 2) give the District the right of first refusal to study the property for conversion to residential use if the hotel business closes and the property becomes dormant. This study would require the business to provide information about debt on the property, ownership, and financing structure. Therefore, the residential use study requirement and the MBSYEP participation requirement only apply if Grantee cannot meet the 80% payroll/fringe requirement and a waiver is granted (limited exceptions may apply as noted below).*
*Please note that notwithstanding the updates noted above, grants of $300,000 or more may be subject to First Source employment requirements (see DC Code § 2-219.01 et seq.), which may include, in DMPED’s discretion, Grantee’s participation in the MBSYEP as an alternative to Grantee executing a standard First Source Agreement.
To begin the grant process, please complete this application. You will need the applicable documents referenced below as you must complete this application in one session.
- W9
- Copy of Hotel, Inn and Motel, or Bed and Breakfast Lodging Business License
- OTR Clean Hands Certificate as of August 31, 2021
- For a business that remained open and operating in 2019 and experienced at least a 35% reduction in occupancy, revenue, or RevPAR in 2020, please submit detailed monthly income statements and tax returns for 2019 and 2020
- For a business that was closed or partially closed in 2019 and experienced at least a 35% reduction in occupancy, revenue, RevPAR in 2020, please submit detailed monthly income statements and tax returns for 2018 and 2020
- For a business that opened between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 and incurred significant costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please submit a description of costs and receipts