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Council and HLDC discuss incentives, housing potential and childcare as barriers to Main Street recovery
Summary
HLDC Director Mary Thompson told the council the city has potential for additional housing and cited childcare as a local challenge; council and HLDC discussed incentives and marketing to attract business owners rather than investor landlords.
Councilmember Stone led a discussion on incentives for Main Street businesses and attracting new business owners during the June 23 work session. HLDC Director Mary Thompson said the city "has potential for additional housing," noted childcare remains a challenge and recommended marketing to promote residential life as well as tourism.
Thompson said recent business turnover was often driven by retirements and subsequent sales to investors rather than new owner-operators; she suggested marketing and the new Chamber of Commerce marketing director could help attract entrepreneurs to lease and occupy vacant storefronts. No changes to incentive policy were adopted at the session; staff were asked to continue exploring options (SEG 002).
