Here is something you do not often hear in South Florida: Free rent for a year!
The city of Hialeah is offering free rent for a year to select businesses that move into a city-owned building.
Mayor Bryan Calvo said the site could have up to 30,000 square feet available, and some startup business owners say this could be what they need to open their first in-person location.
Jessica Izquierdo’s coffee business started in her kitchen, but she has yet to find a storefront.
“Right now we have a lot of people, but I would say if we had an actual location, people would go crazy,” Izquierdo said.
When she heard that Hialeah was offering free rent for moving into a city-owned lot on First Avenue, she applied right away.
“One of my customers sent this to me. And I started screaming like I was very emotional, I started crying,” Izquierdo said.
The city created the program to spur economic growth and to encourage businesses to come to town.
“We will cover their rent for the first year, which is the time period most businesses are not profitable because they’re still building up clientele,” Mayor Calvo said.
The application form is available online and asks questions regarding the business’s hours, the type of setup it needs, and how much space is required.
Izquierdo said her business is only three years old.
“We haven’t planned on expanding, maybe for a while. Obviously, in the future, but with this opportunity, it’s amazing because it’s expensive right now,” Izquierdo said.
Izquierdo said if she is approved, the site would be only about 10 minutes away from her house.
“So it’s meant to be,” she said.
Calvo hopes to have these businesses moved in by the end of the year. The city is still taking applications, and a link to the site can be found online.
