City of San Bernardino Allocates $1 Million to Local Businesses

The City of San Bernardino will begin accepting applications on Monday, August 26 for its “Paintbrush Program,” a façade improvement initiative that will provide grants between $10,000 and $20,000 to local businesses along commercial corridors in San Bernardino to improve their curbside appearance.

Types of improvements could include exterior signs, awnings, canopies or sunshades, painting, stucco, tile, stone or brick replacement or repair, asphalt paving, sidewalk or courtyard repaving, outdoor lighting, windows, architectural features, or outdoor landscaping, irrigation and fountains.

“This is a great opportunity to spruce up our commercial corridors and to assist local entrepreneurs invest in the improvement of their businesses,” said San Bernardino Economic Development Director Ken Chapa.

The San Bernardino City Council has allocated $1 million of American Rescue Plan funds for the program, which will be available to local businesses on a first come, first served basis.

Businesses open before March 2020 are eligible for up to $20,000 while businesses that opened after March 2020 are eligible for up to $10,000. Businesses must have a valid City of San Bernardino business license and as part of the program, must complete a business mentoring session with a representative from the Small Business Development Center.

Improvements made with program funds must enhance or restore the exterior physical condition or appearance of the business and must be visible from the public right-of-way.

Businesses must reside along the following corridors:

• Downtown San Bernardino
• Mt. Vernon Avenue – between Highland Avenue and Mill St.
• E Street – between 30^th St. and Mill St.
• Waterman Avenue – between Highland Avenue and Mill St.
• 40^th Street/E Street – between Little Mountain Drive and 31^st St.
• Highland Avenue – between Macy Street and Mt Vernon Avenue
• Highland Avenue – between Victoria Avenue and Boulder Avenue
• 5^th Street – between Rancho Avenue and Victoria Avenue
• Base Line Street – between Meridian Avenue and Mt Vernon Avenue
• Base Line Street – between 215 Freeway and Victoria Avenue
• Redlands Boulevard – between Waterman Avenue and Gage Canal.

To access the application and for the complete program guidelines, please visit www.SBCity.org/PaintbrushProgram

For additional questions, please contact the City of San Bernardino Economic Development Department at (909) 384-5366 or EconDev@SBCity.org.

By Josaline Cuesta, California Program Director, Small Business Majority & IEBJ Content Contributor

For Tara Lynn Gray, Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), entrepreneurship has always been a core principle of her life. Her journey as an advocate for small businesses wasn’t built on textbooks, but on her family’s roots in small business ownership. As a young girl, she watched her grandmother empower and elevate Black women’s presences by styling their hair and instilling confidence in their personhood. She witnessed the direct impact of small businesses on community members in real time, and that’s always stayed with Tara.

As a key partner of Small Business Majority, she stands as a champion for the dreamers and risk-takers; the pillars of the communities across California and in the Inland Empire. I chatted with her to share more about her work at CalOSBA, what entrepreneurs can expect when they meet with a CalOSBA advisor, and the resources and community support available to help boost entrepreneurship in the Golden State.

Tell us about CalOSBA’s role in the small business community.

“California has the biggest small business community in the country, accounting for 4.1 million small businesses in 2023 alone. The overwhelming majority have no employees at all, except themselves, which means they don’t have a Board of Directors, expensive consultants, and they definitely don’t have lobbyists. I take my role as their advocate seriously, talking with and listening to small business owners from up and down the state. During the pandemic, we were under a very bright spotlight, administering nearly $5 billion in direct relief funding and we’re proud of the grant programs we still oversee. But that’s only a small part of what we do at CalOSBA.

My team connects small business owners to information and resources to help them get started, manage their business and, most importantly, to grow. If they’re looking for help, we want to be the first door they knock on. In addition, we offer Outsmart Disaster training, which focuses on how to mitigate risks associated with natural disasters and recovery avenues available to them. I always say the flagship of our office is our support for the statewide network of Small Business Centers, providing 1:1 business assistance and training for small business owners of all industries and in dozens of languages. In addition, supporting partners that deliver these services–all the federally funded centers like the Small Business Development Centers and the Women’s Business Centers but also Chambers of Commerce and other nonprofits—is a core function of my office. And a big source of pride because we know what a difference they make for their clients.”

What can small business owners expect from meeting with a California Small Business Center advisor?

“Small business owners can expect to meet someone who is fully invested in them. Our Centers cover the full spectrum of business needs, from writing a business plan and obtaining the right permits and licenses, to finding capital, planning a succession strategy and marketing to e-commerce. Our business advisors provide the experience and the objective perspective to help business owners optimize their best assets: ideas, energy, and ability to keep adapting and learning. And they do it because they love helping other people succeed. What’s more, business ownership can become isolating and it may be challenging for entrepreneurs to find assistance. But they don’t have to go at it alone–and they shouldn’t, when these no-cost and low-cost services are available to them.”

What’s the most rewarding part of your role at CalOSBA?

“I always say I have the best job in the state. And it’s because I frequently have the honor to watch someone’s dream come true. I love a ribbon-cutting ceremony–Every time, big or small. It means someone dreamed of accomplishing something and worked hard for it: They opened the doors to their business, they made a sale, and hopefully they will hire their first employee and then it’s off to the races. But no matter what happens to that business, that ribbon-cutting is a milestone they made happen for themselves. There are many other events I get invited to, where you can just see the hope and pride, and even fear in their faces. I’m often overwhelmed by the sheer emotion of it, and I’m always humbled that I get to participate in that person’s big milestone.”

What are some new programs that can benefit small business owners in the Inland Empire?

“The number one question my office gets asked is how to access small business financing. To help address this key need, we’re launching the Technical Assistance for Capital Readiness program this February. The program is part of a bigger effort to fill well-known funding gaps in the state to benefit very small businesses and Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI). Through investments from the U.S. Treasury, the State Treasurer’s Office and IBank, the program is going to support lenders to facilitate “high risk” loans that they normally would not approve.

In addition to supporting lenders, my office also received $25.3 million in U.S. Treasury funding to start the new Capital Readiness network. The Capital Readiness Coaches in this network will help business owners get ready for the lending marketplace, help them make the best choices in a high interest-rate environment, and optimize the use of the capital once they receive it. The network is also designed to help spread the word about this opportunity to these SEDI-owned businesses, and some of those partners will be focused on supporting the Inland Empire small business ecosystem.”

How can business owners get in touch with CalOSBA?

“That’s simple! Check out calosba.ca.gov and sign up for our monthly newsletter, where I write a column and showcase success stories from our network, along with deadlines and updates on grant and workforce support programs. We’re also on social media, so I would encourage business owners to check out all of our channels.”

Connect SoCal 2024: Paving the Way for Housing Affordability, Climate Resilience, and Equity in a Six-County Region

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) recently released its draft Connect SoCal 2024 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, outlining direction for the region to meet federal transportation air quality standards and state greenhouse gas emission targets through $750 billion in transportation investments and a regional development pattern. Notable in this plan update are new strategies for addressing the housing crisis and homelessness, adapting to climate change, and investing in underserved communities. 

The draft plan, now available for public review and comment through Jan. 12, 2024, acts as a compass to align work at the local level to meet the transportation, accessibility, and quality-of-life needs of one of the most dynamic population and economic centers in the United States. SCAG projects the six-county region to grow by 2 million people by 2050 to 20.8 million, an 11% increase, while the number of jobs is expected to increase by 1.3 million, or 14.2%. 

SCAG updates this long-range planning document every four years to respond to challenges, plan for emerging trends and meet federal and state planning requirements. Following the public review period,  a final version of Connect SoCal 2024 is expected to be presented to SCAG’s Regional Council for approval in spring 2024. 

“This plan incorporates local input more so than in past cycles,” said Art Brown, SCAG’s Regional Council  President and a Buena Park City Councilmember. “This can help us move together as a region toward  improving our transportation network and meeting our sustainability goals.” 

SCAG developed Connect SoCal 2024 with an extensive planning and visioning process. This process included meetings with 164 jurisdictions in the region to review their growth forecasts, an extensive public outreach process, as well as policy discussions with elected leaders from around the region. The plan identifies a series of outcomes that include increased transit ridership; an emphasis on Priority  Development Areas that bring housing, jobs, and mobility options closer together; safe and efficient goods movement; as well as streets that prioritize people and safety.  

More than 2,000 projects are included in the plan, including those identified and submitted by six county transportation commissions across the region. These projects are funded by a combination of federal, state, and local dollars, and Connect SoCal 2024 fulfills the requirement for an updated Regional  Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, which allows the projects to advance under federal and state regulations.

Connect SoCal 2024 is the most pro-housing regional transportation plan produced by SCAG to date and includes a standalone Housing Technical Report highlighting the challenges to housing production and best practices for implementation by jurisdictions. 

Performance measurement data included in the draft Connect SoCal 2024 shows that, if fully  implemented, the plan could result in: 

• A 11.4% reduction in overall vehicle miles traveled among passenger vehicles (from 2019). o A 30.3% reduction in minutes of daily traffic delay per person (from 2019). 
• Achieving the region’s targets for reducing greenhouse gases from autos and light-duty trucks by  19% per capita, from 2005 levels, by 2035. 
• 480,000 new jobs supported by transportation investments or improved competitiveness each year. o An overall return on investment of $2 for every $1 spent. 

Of the $750.1 billion in investments identified in the plan, $297 billion is specific to transit projects and operations, $75.4 billion is specific to state highway operations and maintenance, $65.4 billion is specific to goods movement and $38 billion is specific to active transportation. However, the plan cautions that securing adequate funding for transportation has become more challenging, as the current system needs maintenance, and innovation will be necessary to transition to the transportation system of the future.  

“As we shift to a zero-emission transportation system, there will be an increased decline of transportation revenue sources dependent on fuel taxes,” said Kome Ajise, SCAG Executive Director.  “SCAG will collaborate with federal, state, and local partners to leverage existing revenue sources,  explore innovative funding and financing mechanisms and advocate for increased investment in the  region’s transportation needs.” 

Ajise noted that SCAG has invested $34 million of its resources, on top of plan investments, to support efforts to implement its past two long-range plans, approved in 2016 and 2020. “More work is needed to continue supporting our region in moving toward this vision for a more resilient and equitable future,” said Ajise. 

For more on Connect SoCal, visit www.connectsocal.org.