Small Business Anti-Displacement Network

In our first newsletter of 2025, we shared new research focus areas, including climate-related gentrification and its impact on BIPOC- and immigrant-owned small businesses. Our researchers are gathering examples to expand climate-related tools in the SBAN toolkit, like insurance assistance programs and community climate action plans. ?? Keep an eye out for a ?? call for case studies that will focus on how to prevent climate-related small business displacement going live soon! Meanwhile, we're highlighting a recent video ??? produced by The Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability, called The Green Divide. The 40-minute film highlights stories from six neighborhoods that showcase the conflict between municipal greening efforts, gentrification, and community struggles, resulting in new forms of activism for a just and healthy urban environment. ?? Take a look: https://lnkd.in/es-Pm39V

SBAN’s in-person conference returns this November 12-14! ?? This year, we will focus on fostering resilient small businesses and remaining resilient in our anti-displacement work ????. We’re excited to return to The Hotel at UMD, just outside Washington, D.C. Join us - we're stronger together. ?? Learn more and submit a proposal by May 23: ?? https://lnkd.in/eX8NMhGm If you're looking for a little more info or planning your conference proposal... Conference sessions will share insights on: - Supporting communities and small businesses in today’s economic and political landscape ?? - Securing funding despite federal cuts ?? - Collaborating with policymakers to drive change at the state & local levels ??? - Communicating effectively about small business anti-displacement work in grants and outreach ?? Also: Mobile workshops are back! ?? We’ll explore local neighborhoods to discover strategies for preserving BIPOC- and immigrant-owned small businesses. Stay tuned for more info and registration!

Reflecting back to our recent case study site visit in San Fransisco with MEDA (Mission Economic Development Agency) we are excited to see Juan Diego Castro's leadership and perspective at National Community Reinvestment Coalition - NCRC's Just Economy conference! Comment ?? if you're attending the conference or are able to catch his panel. Keep an eye out for more details about SBAN's upcoming in-person conference soon, plus a call for proposals. ??

In 2023, Louisville enacted a groundbreaking bill designed to ensure that city subsidies are not used to finance new housing projects that displace existing residents. ??? Now, the city is introducing a new tool to help implement this law. We're wondering: How might this translate to commercial projects? ?? You can learn more about it in a new Next City article by journalist Roshan Abraham. SBAN conference contributor, Loretta Lees (MAE, FAcSS, FRSA) also worked on the new anti-displacement policy tool, and underscores that the point of the tool is to prioritize housing subsidies that match the city’s need: 'It’s not anti-development, it’s pro-development — if that development is going to build truly affordable housing,' says Loretta Lees, an urban geographer and director of the Initiative on Cities at Boston University." ?? Read on to see how the tool functions at the local level: https://lnkd.in/e9JUrKPt

We are excited to share several new opportunities for SBAN members in 2025 ??. First, we have the SBAN Mentorship Program, with applications due by April 7th ??. Applicants may apply to participate as both a mentor and a mentee. Participants will guide mentees in developing tailored, actionable strategies while also enhancing their own skill sets ???. Don't miss an opportunity to support the stabilization of BIPOC-and-immigrant-owned businesses across the country with a new network of mentors and committed SBAN members! ?? In addition to the mentorship program, we will be launching a new member platform to enhance connections among members ??. We will also continue to offer webinars on timely topics and form new working groups focused on commercial tenant rights ??. We are excited to help our network grow their skills! ?? ? #SBAN #Mentorship #BIPOC #ImmigrantBusiness #AntiDisplacement

Senior Economic Justice Correspondent for Next City, Oscar Abello, breaks down what the recent executive order to reduce the CDFI fund could mean for how CDFI’s function in the next two years, with input from Urban Insititute Senior Fellow, Brett Theodos:

We are seeing a growing call for philanthropic support ?? due to significant cuts to federal programs that typically fund community development. Still, government funding has typically not been a primary source for community ownership models targeting small businesses or housing initiatives like residential land trusts ??. Both residential and commercial community ownership aims to combat gentrification, enhance community control ?, increase affordability, and stabilize neighborhoods ???, and both are advocating for more diverse funding sources, particularly now with the loss of federal funding. A recent article in Next City by nonprofit housing leaders highlights how cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will impact organizations that rely on public funding. They stress the need for investments in general operational support and land acquisition to continue their work: “Funders, philanthropies, and other supporters are essential for making these models viable, as they help advance the community-centered housing movement.” Link to full article: https://lnkd.in/ddKh6P5R What creative funding sources for community ownership are you seeing? #Philanthropy #CommunityDevelopment #HousingEquity #Gentrification #CommunityOwnership #Nonprofit #LandTrusts #AffordableHousing #FederalFunding #NeighborhoodStability #SupportLocalBusinesses #NextCity

The role of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) has been crucial in providing capital to BIPOC and immigrant-owned small businesses. ?? Research by organizations like the Urban Institute (see previous post share from Brett Theodos) has documented this impact specifically in Black and Latinx areas in recent years. The current threat to the federal CDFI Fund and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) represents yet another blatant attack on these under-resourced communities. ?? John Arensmeyer, founder and CEO of Small Business Majority, has been monitoring executive orders that negatively affect small businesses, and this recent one is no exception. He stated: "President Trump’s executive order, which seeks to undermine the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), exemplifies his administration’s hostility towards essential institutions that support small businesses." ??? "Both the CDFI Fund and the MBDA were established with bipartisan support to assist historically under-resourced communities and small businesses. Research from Small Business Majority shows that these institutions play a vital role in benefiting women- and BIPOC-owned small businesses, which are key to our economic success." ?? ?? Read the full statement for more data on the impact of CDFIs and the MBDA in supporting small businesses: https://lnkd.in/eBTPC-KQ #CDFIs #SmallBusiness #BIPOC #CommunityDevelopment #EconomicEmpowerment #MinorityOwned #SupportSmallBusiness #FinancialInclusion #MBDA #BusinessDevelopment #SocialImpact

Check out new data published by Brett Theodos, senior fellow at the Urban Institute, on the larger role CDFI’s play in investing in Latinx communities, particular with microloans:

Last Friday, SBAN's site visit in San Francisco with Mission Economic Development Agency continued for SBAN's Community Ownership Case Study! ?? We kicked off with a dynamic Neighborhood Impact Tour of the Mission District, led by Juan Diego Castro, national partnerships director at MEDA, exploring the area's unique small business community and cultural heritage spaces. Then, we dove straight into a Working Group Strategy Session focused on nonprofit and public partnerships aimed at advancing the Mission's Action Plan. To spark innovative ideas and learn from our own experiences, we participated in an interactive table exercise, brainstorming replicable and scalable land use policies. Plus, we conducted a Community Asset Mapping exercise to develop effective community ownership strategies! It was a day filled with collaboration, creativity, and commitment to strengthening our BIPOC-and- immigrant-owned small businesses and neighborhoods! ???? #CommunityOwnership #MissionDistrict #NeighborhoodImpact #SupportSmallBiz Photo credit: Malcolm Wallace | @malcolmwallaceimages on IG SBAN is a proud affiliate of the Maryland School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation.