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Board backs Urban Main ‘Targets of Opportunity’ grant program for designated Main Street districts
Summary
Oakland County moved to recommend a subrecipient agreement that will concentrate a state $2 million grant on designated Main Street communities to support site readiness, incubators and small‑scale manufacturing in urban commercial corridors.
The Board of Commissioners voted to recommend a county subrecipient agreement to allocate a state grant toward a pilot called the Urban Main Targets of Opportunity program, which focuses on designated Main Street downtowns and commercial corridors.
Economic development staff said the funding comes from a $2 million state grant under the Strategic Outreach Attraction Reserve Fund. The county grouped the work into three buckets: site‑readiness funding for Main Street communities, support for “traded cluster” businesses that export products outside the region, and a program to provide training and support for early‑stage high‑tech companies.
The Urban Main tranche targets historically underserved or disinvested commercial corridors designated by the county’s Main Street program. Staff named Pontiac, Madison Heights, Hazel Park and Oak Park as the initial urban Main Street communities in the pilot. The county said it is prioritizing shovel‑ready projects such as small‑scale incubators, building improvements for businesses, environmental assessments, and public‑realm or infrastructure work that make sites ready for end users.
John Bridal, the county’s administrator for local business development and Main Street coordinator, and Anika Norris, principal planner and assistant Main Street coordinator, briefed the board on the application timeline: staff said applications would be released in early April with awards expected shortly thereafter. Commissioners also asked for an outcomes report; the board approved a motion asking the department to return with a program outcome report in January.
The board voted to recommend the grant program and related subrecipient agreement to the Board of Commissioners for final action.
Details and safeguards: staff said eligible uses include sewer and water infrastructure upgrades, facade improvements, environmental assessments, and demolition where sites must be cleared to be market‑ready. Staff also said the pilot will track outcomes including before/after photos and economic impact measures and that the county plans to leverage philanthropic and private matches to multiply county dollars.
