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Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.
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Main Spotlight: Trading Cultural Displacement for Thriving Commercial Districts
The Allapattah Collaborative CDC, a placed-based organization in Miami, Florida, is using the Main Street Approach™ as a vehicle to prevent displacement in our neighborhood and strengthen the 17th Avenue commercial corridor. Located northwest of Downtown Miami, Florida, the Allapattah area is a working-class neighborhood that is considered a melting pot of residents from the Caribbean and Latin America. Since 2018, our organization has been working to implement a range of initiatives to expand equitable development and ensure current businesses can not only remain in the corridor but also flourish.
Understanding the Barriers to Equitable Development
According to the “Development without Displacement” report produced by the nonprofit Causa Justa: Just Cause, “Gentrification is not the inevitable result of economic development. Quite the opposite, it is the result of fundamentally unjust economic development policies, widespread public disinvestment in historically marginalized communities, and lack of protection for existing residents.” In Allapattah, a disproportionate influx of capital is displacing long-term residents and small business owners with rent increases and lack of viable opportunities to own their long-term residences or storefronts. This gradual displacement is eradicating Miami’s diverse and cultural neighborhoods.
To retain and grow small businesses at risk of displacement, The Allapattah Collaborative CDC created an Equitable Development Action Plan (EDAP) in 2019, in partnership with the National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders and the South Florida Community Development Coalition. The vision focused on developing a plan that provides a pathway to equitable development without displacement and emphasizes policies and programs that benefit existing small businesses. To achieve this, the project gathered data on the target area’s small businesses and other stakeholders via community conversations, surveys, data analysis, and meetings with community partners.
The outcome of the research confirmed what we already knew: small business owners are being squeezed by rising rents. Many attributed the sharp rent increase to new ownership of the buildings by investors newly interested in the area. Another issue small business owners face is minimal business and financial training and a lack of access to financial resources, which prevented many business owners from purchasing their storefront and scaling their business. 70 percent of the businesses interviewed reported not receiving a business loan in the past five years. Most small business owners reported that they avoid loans because of unfavorable lending terms, as well as, qualification restrictions.
Despite these pressures, Allapattah small business owners are resilient and eager to continue to improve their businesses. 73 percent of business owners interviewed are not interested in selling their business and 69 percent would like to participate in business development coaching programs. They are also interested in improving their business by investing in security, marketing, revenue growth, social media, visual aesthetics, and owning their storefront.
Implementing Equitable Development Strategies
Dry cleaners in Allapattah's district. Photo credit: The Allapattah Collaborative CDC
Based on the data we collected, we came up with a three-step plan for equitable development. Equitable development refers to a plan that takes all community stakeholders into consideration. It is an outcome-oriented community development process where everyone in the target neighborhood benefits from the goods, amenities, and concessions provided by an initiative.
Anti-displacement Strategies The best solution for vulnerable communities is to first stop the bleeding by implementing anti-displacement strategies. We should not boost the area until the main problem has been addressed, or else boosting the area will harm the residents by the further increase of rents and property values. In Allapattah, we’re pursuing a range of anti-displacement strategies.
We are advocating for “Right of First Refusal,” which allows business owners to have the first right to purchase their storefront, instead of getting kicked out by property owners. We’re in the planning stages to put this into legislation. With NALCAB and Mission Economic Development Agency, we’re working on a feasibility study to acquire property under the Community Land Trust model. The goal is to make sure that the CLT can buy property and sell it to storefront renters so they can become property owners. Finally, we’re an active member of the Public Land for Public Good coalition, a group of organizations who have committed to a set of core values to guide public land use in Miami. The group advocates for a public-private concerted effort in the community development, urban planning and public land disposition, as well as, the implementation of equitable development practices that benefit long term residents, such as Community Benefit Agreements and increased community engagement in the management of public resources.
Wealth-building Strategies After anti-displacement strategies are in effect (for example, resident protections, community benefit agreements, inclusive community engagement processes, equitable development ordinances, community land trust acquisitions, protection of legacy businesses, retail co-op, etc.), business owners will have greater confidence to expand their ventures. Then it would be sensible to boost the area by adding amenities and new businesses. By preparing small business owners to have access to capital, they can scale their business and be ready to own their storefront when the opportunity arises.
The Allapattah Collaborative CDC partnered with the Hispanics In Philanthropy PowerUp Fund to provide financial assistance to small businesses and develop a capacity building program called the Small Business Resilience Cohort. The Cohort provides a variety of technical assistance and coaching to help retain and grow local small businesses. The group of 12 small businesses in the Cohort are assigned a coach, or small business navigator, to help them understand the resources available to help small businesses. Businesses are also connected with a CPA to ensure they have access to capital and assist with accounting procedures. The Cohort also receives assistance from a portfolio of professionals such as credit repair counselors, financial advisors, digital inclusion specialist, lawyers, among others. The Cohort comes together online once per week for ten weeks for special training sessions. Each week, the group watches training lessons before the session and answers a few questions that explore the topic in relation to legacy building, social responsibility, business development and streamlining operations.
Business in the Cohort then go through the business development phase. A local architect who also serves on our Board helps to assess and improve each merchant’s storefront. The businesses also talk with their coaches about how to create new products, along with other strategies for business development. The final phase of the program is streamlining business operations. Small business owners learn about anything from building an online store to managing payroll more efficiently to providing employees with health insurance.
Through technical assistance, key policy and wealth building strategies, businesses can become resilient, remain sustainable, and intentionally build a legacy in the community for generations to come.
Main Street America Field Services Spotlight
Norma Ramírez de Miess, The National Main Street Center’s Senior Program Officer and Director of Leadership Development, has helped The Allapattah Collaborative CDC use the Main Street Approach to align with their goals of sparking equitable development and revitalization.
Norma has provided a range of services to the district. After facilitating a Main Street 101 training with community leaders in Miami, Norma worked with The Allapattah Collaborative CDC’s Executive Director Mileyka Burgos-Flores to provide guidance on aligning their efforts with Main Street principles. In addition, Norma provided district stakeholders with a training on Leading through Crisis—outlining a plan for crisis management and showing that the Main Street Approach can be a powerful tool for responding to crises like COVID-19. Norma is currently planning a session with the CDC’s Board of Directors to look at how to align their work with the Main Street Approach. Many of these trainings were provided in Spanish.
In between trainings, Norma and NMSC’s Director of Urban Programs, Dionne Baux, have connected with The Allapattah Collaborative CDC with other districts going through similar issues and have helped the CDC develop additional strategies to prevent gentrification and grow equitable development.
Norma typically travels across the country providing trainings to Main Street programs on everything from leadership to community engagement. Many of her services are now being provided digitally. Learn more about working with Norma or another member of the Field Services team here.
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In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derrick Braziel, owner of Pata Roja Taqueria and co-founder of MORTAR, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Every year, H2BE holds their Juneteenth Mobility Stroll and Roll in Dearborn, MI, which celebrates Black Americans and improves local connections. Learn more about the event and why Juneteenth is important to this community.
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The Main Street Movement is a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community. We spoke to Main Street leaders about how they support the LGBTQ+ community during Pride and beyond.
On May 9, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2023 which included a cultural district located within a designated Main Street America community.
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Meet Kavi, the first Indian American Girl of the Year doll and a (fictional) resident of 2023 Great American Main Street Award winner Metuchen, New Jersey!
Community Development Block Grants are powerful tools for Main Street programs. Learn more about how CDBG's can be applied to our work and how you can advocate for the program
Main Street America was awarded $5.9 million to support 20 communities in the Main Streets Community of Practice through the Department of Transportation's Thriving Communities Program over the next two years.
We spoke to three women who were awarded Inclusive Backing grants to learn more about their passions, their businesses, and their advice for other women.
Anette Landeros, President and CEO of Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, shares the importance of supporting Hispanic business owners and communities.
#EquityRising, Old Algiers Main Street Corporation's new job training program, seeks to combat rising cost of living by helping residents train for careers that will allow them to stay in their neighborhood.
We spoke to three Black business owners who were awarded Backing Small Businesses grants from Main Street America and American Express to better understand their challenges, successes, and the kinds of support that have helped them the most.
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Kendall Whittier is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in an ever-diversifying Tulsa. Learn how they are making efforts to engage their large Hispanic community.
We spoke with two Black entrepreneurs in UrbanMain commercial districts: L. May Creations in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago and The Four Way in south Memphis, Tennessee.
This May marked the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. We explored the impact and legacy of this tragic event.
Main Street communities across the nation are celebrating Juneteenth, the oldest national commemoration of the ending of slavery in America and the nation’s newest federal holiday!
From small business owners to public artists to local leaders, join us this month to amplify the impact of the LGBTQ+ community in your Main Street district.
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Downtown SLO has kept the magic of their holiday lights installation alive by evolving their winter wonderland into a dual celebration of Valentine’s Day and Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year.
Main Street programs around the Network have created engaging and COVID-safe ways to honor and celebrate the histories and lives of Black Americans in their commercial districts.
Since 2013, Try This West Virginia has sought to improve health environments in local communities as a collaboration of organizations working together to combat the health challenges facing West Virginians.
Supporting new and existing small businesses, and the entrepreneurs who run them, represents a vital aspect of the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhood business districts.
The Equitable Economic Development Fellowship is a two-year, one million-dollar effort funded by the Surdna Foundation and the Open Society Foundations to help equity, transparency, sustainability and community engagement become driving forces in local economic development efforts.
History and architecture play an active role in educating and immersing the next generation of preservationists in Le Mars. From museum visits, scavenger hunts, to "show and tell," involving the youth and senior communities is a priority for this Main Street.
From walkability and transportation connectivity, to access to nature and availability of fresh food, place is inextricably linked to achieving positive health outcomes in rural America.
Main Street America is committed to helping build inclusive communities. Homelessness is an increasingly important issue facing Main Street communities big and small, urban and rural.
To understand the role that immigrant business owners play in Boston’s small business ecosystem, you need only to walk through any Boston Main Streets district.