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Goleta small-business owners renew plea for Old Town emergency grants after street redesign
Summary
A small-business owner urged the Goleta City Council to authorize emergency grants to help Old Town businesses recover from a recent street redesign; the council's Economic Development and Revitalization Committee reported it will return with grant-focused recommendations.
Phoebe Mansour, a Goleta small-business owner in Old Town, urged the City Council during public forum on Dec. 17 to authorize the emergency grants the council discussed on Oct. 1 to help businesses hit by a recent street redesign. "I encourage you not to delay. I encourage you to authorize the emergency grants as discussed on October 1st and restore our dream," Mansour said.
Mansour told the council small-business owners in Old Town had formed a task force and worked with the Hispanic Chamber to develop priorities for aid and proposed that a local nonprofit manage grant funds at no charge. She said business owners have met with the Spanish Chamber and created a priority list of needs, and that many businesses remain in a precarious financial position after the redesign.
Later in the meeting the council's Economic Development and Revitalization Committee reported it had discussed the topic and heard a staff presentation about possible programs to support Old Town businesses. Committee members said there was community support for grant-based assistance and not for continuing or expanding a loan program; staff will return with a more detailed recommendation to the council at a future meeting.
The comments at public forum and the committee report do not constitute a council decision; staff and committee members described next steps and indicated follow-up work was forthcoming. No formal motion or funding authorization on emergency grants was taken at the Dec. 17 meeting.
Background: Council members discussed supporting Old Town businesses during an Oct. 1 meeting and asked staff to explore options. At the Dec. 17 meeting Mansour summarized the task force work and asked the council to act quickly to keep small-business owners from losing the equity they've built.
The Economic Development and Revitalization Committee's staff report will provide more detail about eligibility criteria, administration and possible partner nonprofits when it returns to the full council.
