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Emeryville adopts two‑year BIPOC small business support pilot to expand outreach and provide concierge aid
Summary
Council approved a two‑year pilot BIPOC small business support program after a Northeastern University needs assessment; the pilot includes outreach, a business aid concierge, a business onboarding portal and a cultural heritage grant pathway, with staff to monitor outcomes and return after two years.
The Emeryville City Council adopted a two‑year BIPOC small business support pilot program intended to strengthen outreach and operational support for Black, Indigenous and people of color‑owned small businesses.
Economic Development and Housing Manager Valerie Bernardo summarized findings from a Northeastern University needs assessment conducted January–June 2025. The assessment found Emeryville offers locational and transportation advantages but that perceptions of city responsiveness vary and that BIPOC business owners requested more systematic outreach and follow‑up. Bernardo said the city has 875 active businesses (excluding residential landlords), of which 487 provided optional demographic data; 343 respondents (about 39%) identified as BIPOC‑owned or having BIPOC ownership.
Staff proposed four immediate actions: a business outreach program to make weekly welcome visits to new and existing businesses; an Emeryville business aid concierge to provide a single point of contact and a 24‑hour response target; a business onboarding portal consolidating permitting and licensing information; and a cultural heritage program to provide financial support and visibility for cultural events. Bernardo said the pilot would prioritize outreach to 173 identified BIPOC businesses and collect quantitative and qualitative metrics to evaluate success, returning to the Economic Development Advisory Committee and council after two years.
Council members asked clarifying questions about exclusions (the program excludes residential landlords and home‑based businesses), potential partnerships with local organizations and whether nonprofits and underrepresented sectors (e.g., cannabis, creative industries) could be included in outreach. Member Pryforce urged the city to allocate tangible aid (grants, microlending, emergency stabilization) and to address structural issues such as parking/loading constraints, insurance costs after break‑ins, and incubator opportunities. Staff said many of those topics require further exploration during the pilot’s “investigation” phase and that future budget requests would come back to council if financial support is recommended.
Council voted to adopt the pilot program and introduce Naiwana Jones (management analyst) as the program lead; staff will proceed with outreach, portal development and program monitoring.
