Black Business Association outlines CRA-backed small-business pipeline; commissioners press for measurable contract metrics

At a City of Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency meeting, Shed Lang, owner of Splaying Enterprises operating as the Black Business Association of Riviera Beach, described a CRA-funded initiative to prepare local minority and disadvantaged firms to bid for upcoming development projects in the city.

The presentation matters because the CRA said it will rely on a pipeline of certified, “tenancy-ready” businesses for planned projects including the Found Care and marina redevelopment; commissioners pressed staff for clear metrics showing how many businesses the contractor actually helped and how those outcomes are measured.

Lang told the board he opened his business to provide training and one-on-one assistance and said his group’s “mission became to develop a pipeline of certified, prepared, and capable business endeavors.” He described services that include certification support, help with vendor registration,…