This article is written by Noa Miller, Development and Research Manager at the Digital Transformation Division, Joint – Elka, Israel and Apolitical Insider Fellow. This Article was edited by Jennifer Miller, PhD in Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Central governments are taking all the screen-time in dealing with Covid-19. But really, municipalities are the ones to manage the boots-on-the-ground social distancing.

Municipalities are more connected to their residents than governments are to their citizens. They can operate more quickly than the central government and can iterate and adapt to their residents' changing needs over time. Nowadays, business owners are one group of residents who wildly need municipalities' help.

Businesses were affected by Covid-19 in all sectors and locations. During the pandemic we've seen municipalities in Israel executing various innovative ideas to help business owners. Here are some examples:

  • Reviving the event industry: Summer is the high season of weddings, and business owners are financially dependent on it. Now, almost all of the events are cancelled due to restrictions on gatherings, leaving the events industry struggling and many couples frustrated. Several municipalities decided to address this issue by offering its couples to host their wedding in the most stunning locations in the city, according to restrictions. Those locations vary from observation points, city parks, and even a zoo. The site, infrastructure, lighting, canopy, chairs are all provided by the municipality, as long as the rest of the suppliers they hire for the weddings are locals. Among the municipalities offering these initiatives are both big municipalities in Israel, like Jerusalem, that has almost 1 million residents, as well as smaller ones like Karmiel municipality, that has only 50,000 residents.

  • Encouraging leisure and culture: All students in the school system are on summer vacation, while most leisure and culture institutes are closed. To help parents' and children's needs, municipalities came up with a few creative solutions. Several cities opened a drive-in where you can watch movies from your car while social-distancing. Tel Aviv municipality, the second largest in Israel, opened up a Facebook page dedicated solely to advertising cultural institutions and events that are open and operate according to the Ministry of Health guidelines. It also hosted small concerts in local bars and restaurants.

Municipalities shouldn't overlook the tremendous impact they may have on their residents

  • Helping local restaurants and cafeterias: The food industry is probably among those most significantly affected by the crisis. To assist, some municipalities extended the public area where restaurants can deploy tables to help them meet the social distancing guidelines and open their business. Another excellent initiative for places that cannot host customers is offered by Sderot, a small municipality of 26,000 residents. For the entire summer, the small city decided to help the food industry by offering local businesses food deliveries for less than the equivalent of 30 cents. This allows restaurants to start making deliveries in an organised – and low cost – delivery system. Another initiative by a 30,000 residents municipality called Yehud, is to match local businesses with owners of apartments with a courtyard, so they can host small-scale events outdoors with local catering at home.#

  • Going online: Municipalities help local businesses sell their products during the crisis by going online. Many small and medium-size businesses don't have the resources (or need, in normal days) to set up a website. But now it's almost a must. Some municipalities help businesses host online stores by offering assistance in building a website. Others establish "online city malls" that provide a one-stop-shop for all the city's businesses. Some, like the large Ashdod municipality of 225,000 residents – offer both.

  • Giving financial aid: Most municipalities decided to put their hands in their pockets and actively reduce costs for business owners during these times. Some medium-size municipalities like Kfar Saba granted several months exemption from property tax for businesses affected by the crises, while others temporarily cancelled different fees. Others have set up aid funds to help the various needs of business owners in the municipal area.

Central governments are the key player in managing the Covid-19 pandemic. Even so, municipalities shouldn't overlook the tremendous impact they may have on their residents — and do their best to find creative solutions that improve residents' lives. — Noa Miller

(Picture credit: Unsplash)

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