The Katy Area Economic Development council is an organization established with the goal of developing the industry and economy in the Kary area. The boundaries of its service area are similar to that of Katy ISD , with some variances. It’s service area encompasses portions of Waller, Harris and Fort Bend counties. Katy Area EDC President Lance LaCour responded to the questions below which were posed by Katy Times in order to get an idea of how the EDC is working to meet the needs of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Q: How has the EDC seen the COVID-19 pandemic impact the economy of its service area over the last two months?

A: The service industry in the Katy area is quite vast and encompasses a variety of businesses. We are fortunate to have many entertainment, lodging and restaurants options in our community. However, this means a great number of serviced-based businesses have been impacted in our area as this industry is currently at the forefront of the economic hardships being experienced due to COVID-19. I am hopeful, as our state begins to reopen, the industry will recover in relatively quick manner.  I would like to extend a special thank you to our community for supporting the service industry and I encourage the community to continue to do so in a safe, responsible manner.

Q: How has the EDC’s own operations been impacted by the stay home orders and the new coronavirus?

A: Since the stay at home order was implemented, we have been working remotely. Fortunately, we have been able to quickly adapt to the change and continue operations. Our remote working is going well but we are certainly anxious to get back in the office and resume activities at full capacity. We plan to begin reopening our office, on a limited basis, Wednesday, May 20.  I would personally like to thank our members for their understanding during this time. We are incredibly lucky to have such a great group of people and organizations involved with Katy Area EDC.

Q: What direct resources does the EDC offer to help businesses recover from the economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic?

A: As an organization, we are connecting businesses throughout our area with the appropriate resources available at a local, state and federal level. The Katy Area EDC website, katyedc.org, houses a great deal of resources and I encourage businesses to utilize this. We also launched our special COVID 19 GIS page and Zoom Business mapping program on our website, where Katy area businesses can list and post their offerings.  I would also encourage businesses with questions about available resources to contact our office and we will be happy to assist however possible.  We continue to work on major economic development projects and help local and companies with expansion and retention. 

Q: As the local economy opens back up, what external tools is the EDC recommending its community partners utilize in order to keep employees and clients as safe as possible?

A: We continue to encourage our community partners to follow the instructions of local, state and federal officials. From the outset, we have been relying on these entities and will continue to do so as the reopening process continues.

Q: What have your community partners been saying are their greatest concerns during the past few months as they’ve faced the challenges presented by COVID-19?

A: Our business community is truly doing a tremendous job in this unprecedented time.  Unfortunately, many businesses are hurting financially right now. Throughout our community, we continue to hear the key for businesses is to receive financial support which will allow them to get through this time.