Economic development should enhance the quality of life for all citizens. The City has a major role to play in creating opportunities and providing pathways for growth regardless of one’s zip code. There is a gap across the board when it comes to access- whether it’s access to wealth, education, housing, transportation, recreation or social capital. Equity must be baked into city ordinances, policies, and day to day practices. Currently that doesn’t exist.

Economic growth comes from access to capital, access to business, business diversity, technical assistance, and a supportive ecosystem. A city that doesn’t support a vibrant small business network cannot be world class.

As Mayor, I will:

• Re-establish the Department of Economic Development

• Create Equity Impact Enterprises to improve certified business services and increase Women and Minority-Owned Business owners' access to capital and business

• Prioritize partnerships with organizations that are already serving our community and help them scale up

• Strengthen and expand the Minority and Women Business Enterprise Office

• Promote shop local year around

• Open a minority owned and operated bank

• Help entrepreneurs expand their business into new markets domestically and internationally

• Create a Small Business Advisory Commission

• Adopt a business diversity ordinance to foster and sustain a diverse small business community

• Establish a robust diversity, equity and inclusion office

• Update zoning ordinances to include equity provisions

• Establish a Commercial Land Trust

• Increase access to flexible capital

• De-risk 50% of capital for qualified small businesses

• Enhance business services support

• Fast track local small business permitting

• Strengthen the city’s local preference ordinance

• Create independent business districts

• Account for local small business spending by every department quarterly

• Update the City’s local preference ordinance so that local companies are prioritized in all city contracts

• Level the playing field with city contracts to create opportunities for new businesses

• Provide facade improvements funding

• Set aside space for local businesses in new development projects

• Improve signage regulatory process and requirements

• Allow flexible permitting for appropriate outdoor and sidewalk dining/shopping

• Improve wayfinding signage throughout the city

• Adopt a tenant bill of rights for both residential and small business commercial renters

• Advocate for the expansion of the state Community Development Tax Credit

• Add "LGBTQ+" as a qualifying Minority-Owned Business

• Establish strategic alliances with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency at the U.S. Department of Commerce