NEWS BRIEF: City council aiming to help ‘legacy’ businesses survive
Redevelopment raises the rent, sucks city of its ‘soul’
The Atlanta City Council is taking steps to help local businesses survive inflation, rising rents, growth, and gentrification. Councilman Jason Dozier authored a resolution this week that calls for studying “legacy” business protection programs used in cities such as Seattle and San Francisco that provide low-interest loans or grants.
“We’ve had businesses who, due to redevelopment, are no longer able to operate in the site that they’ve been in for 15 or 20 years,” said Dozier, adding the plan would “help save the city’s soul.” The feasibility study will take roughly a year to complete, when another vote will be taken. “It sounds like a great initiative,” said Savage Pizza manager Jay Dalu. “I’m really excited about them trying to push things like that for folks like us that are just kind of local in business.” Details: wsbtv.com