The Sacramento Hispanic Chambers of Commerce and the City of Sacramento are bringing listening sessions to Sacramentans wanting to become entrepreneurs or those who already have a business through the Commercial Lease Assistance Pilot Program.This comes after $5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act was allocated specifically to revitalize the Northgate Boulevard Corridor in the City of Sacramento.The Northgate corridor has a Latino population of about 62%.”When you look at these corridors, whether it’s Northgate Boulevard or Franklin Boulevard, these are cultural assets. They are incredibly important to Sacramento,” said Cathy Rodriguez Aguirre with the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “The importance of doing it here is because it’s where it’s most needed. When you come here you’ll see that there are lots of businesses along the corridor and they’re continuously opening, so there’s a desire to be here. But what happens is that the lease sometimes someone got in.” Mikel Davila a senior project manager with the City of Sacramento’s Office of Innovation and Economic Development adds that language and cultural barriers are top of mind when it comes to supporting inclusive economic development.”Through the rest of the year we really want to help to provide a curriculum that meets business owners in terms of understanding legal needs and commercial leases,” Davila said.The Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce found that one of the biggest challenges was a lack of understanding of a full business model which ranges from understanding a lease to daily operations.An intimidating process that many in the corridors, like Sara Luviano, have experienced.Luviano and her daughter opened La Mini Birrieria two years ago in north Sacramento. She tells KCRA that she’s not a businesswoman and was afraid at the beginning, which is why she initially rented a small space inside a grocery store on Northgate Boulevard.But those two years proved to be successful, and graduating to the next level was easy as development started coming in last year through the latest project: a Taco Plaza.”We were already looking for a bigger space and then got offered an opportunity where we least expected it,” said Luviano.That opportunity was right next door where Rico’s Italian Pizza formerly stood, and which could easily triple the capacity of Luviano’s current space.The next listening session for small business owners is on 2/28 at the Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center. It’s the second of three, where they can learn more about their businesses and leases so that as investments come into the corridors, they don’t get pushed out.
The Sacramento Hispanic Chambers of Commerce and the City of Sacramento are bringing listening sessions to Sacramentans wanting to become entrepreneurs or those who already have a business through the Commercial Lease Assistance Pilot Program.
This comes after $5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act was allocated specifically to revitalize the Northgate Boulevard Corridor in the City of Sacramento.
The Northgate corridor has a Latino population of about 62%.
“When you look at these corridors, whether it’s Northgate Boulevard or Franklin Boulevard, these are cultural assets. They are incredibly important to Sacramento,” said Cathy Rodriguez Aguirre with the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “The importance of doing it here is because it’s where it’s most needed. When you come here you’ll see that there are lots of businesses along the corridor and they’re continuously opening, so there’s a desire to be here. But what happens is that the lease sometimes someone got in.”
Mikel Davila a senior project manager with the City of Sacramento’s Office of Innovation and Economic Development adds that language and cultural barriers are top of mind when it comes to supporting inclusive economic development.
“Through the rest of the year we really want to help to provide a curriculum that meets business owners in terms of understanding legal needs and commercial leases,” Davila said.
The Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce found that one of the biggest challenges was a lack of understanding of a full business model which ranges from understanding a lease to daily operations.
An intimidating process that many in the corridors, like Sara Luviano, have experienced.
Luviano and her daughter opened La Mini Birrieria two years ago in north Sacramento. She tells KCRA that she’s not a businesswoman and was afraid at the beginning, which is why she initially rented a small space inside a grocery store on Northgate Boulevard.
But those two years proved to be successful, and graduating to the next level was easy as development started coming in last year through the latest project: a Taco Plaza.
“We were already looking for a bigger space and then got offered an opportunity where we least expected it,” said Luviano.
That opportunity was right next door where Rico’s Italian Pizza formerly stood, and which could easily triple the capacity of Luviano’s current space.
The next listening session for small business owners is on 2/28 at the Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center. It’s the second of three, where they can learn more about their businesses and leases so that as investments come into the corridors, they don’t get pushed out.
