Local consultant proposes $7,500/month business‑activation, homeowner outreach program for College Park

Tarshima Harris, a College Park resident and licensed real estate broker, presented a 12‑month community economic development and business‑activation consulting proposal at the city’s workshop, outlining a three‑lane plan to help small businesses access funding, launch a Black Business Excellence Initiative and connect seniors and long‑term residents to homeownership programs.

"My goal is simple. Keep the wealth in College Park and in the hands of who the community who's built it," Harris said, summarizing the proposal’s focus on preventing displacement and ensuring local residents benefit from development and investment.

Harris said she reviewed the city’s 2021 comprehensive plan and the contract to update that plan, and argued the city’s lean staff cannot provide the hands‑on, community‑facing navigation her proposal would deliver. She cited a high renter share in the housing stock — "approximately 78% of our occupied housing units in College Park are renter occupied" with roughly 22% owner‑occupied — and described investor activity that she said is driving property sales away from long‑term owners.

Year‑one priorities in her proposal include:

• A business resource and funding concierge to link small businesses to grants, incentives and technical assistance;

• A Black Business Excellence Initiative focused on capital access, brand development and long‑term strategy for Black‑owned businesses;

• A homeownership and community‑belonging strategy to connect seniors and working families to existing programs to help them remain in the city and preserve local equity.

Harris said the arrangement would be structured around a minimum of eight to 10 community touchpoints per year — roundtables, workshops and one‑on‑one sessions — and that the $7,500 monthly fee is not solely a consulting retainer but covers that community engagement plan. The contract would include a 90‑day milestone review at which the city could act if the vendor failed to meet agreed benchmarks.

Councilmembers asked how the proposal would align with existing efforts, including BiDA and the city’s economic development work; Harris said her approach is intended to fill gaps between city resources and on‑the‑ground navigation, not to duplicate staff duties. Councilmember Gay asked for examples of programs that have worked elsewhere; Harris pointed to senior housing outreach, funding directories and local business engagement tactics she said have produced results in nearby cities.

The item was presented by Harris and sponsored by Councilman Dr. Jamal McKenzie; no formal vote or contract award was recorded at the workshop.

The council indicated willingness to discuss the proposal further during follow‑up meetings and to consider alignment with other city economic development efforts.