Milwaukie redevelopment commission to review $400,000 packaged storefront grant
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Summary
Staff told the committee the MRC issued about $540,000 in business grants last year and that a new grant application packages requests for eight contiguous storefronts — up to $50,000 each and $400,000 total — which exceeds staff signing authority and will be reviewed by the MRC on December 2 and the advisory committee the week of Thanksgiving.
The Milwaukie Redevelopment Commission’s budget was described as healthy during the November 10 joint meeting, with property tax receipts above budget and an ending fund balance increase year over year.
Staff reported the MRC gave out approximately $540,000 in business grants last fiscal year and has continued awarding grants in the current biennium. Staff disclosed a large, single grant application packaged for eight contiguous storefronts downtown that requests full awards for tenant improvements and storefront support. At $50,000 per storefront that package totals about $400,000 and exceeds both staff and executive director signing authority.
Because the package is outside staff authority, the MRC advisory committee (Mercac) will meet in the week of Thanksgiving to review the application and the full MRC will consider it at its December 2 meeting. Staff said the proposal “pushes a little bit on the original bounds of the grant program” and they want to ensure the application follows the spirit of the grant program before approving.
Committee members asked whether the eight storefronts are contiguous and were told they are, and councilors discussed transparency and appropriate review because the request would consolidate multiple storefronts into one grant package.
The MRC’s role in both approving larger grants and reallocating capital to support business grants was a central part of the presentation; staff noted a previous reallocation of underspent Main Street CIP capital helped fund these business grants.