The Issues

Small Business

From pizza to dim sum, speciality shops to supermarkets, our small businesses are the backbone of our economy. Bustling commercial corridors such as 18th Avenue or 8th Avenue Chinatown are the key to our city's recovery.  Iwen has a plan to invest in Main Street and boost our economy:

• Create a cultural competent hotline to help small business understand and comply with city and state regulations, understand fines and summonses and navigate when they encounter permits, license issues

• Provide information and resources for small business owners in every language to update the regulations and provide supports

• Make the state grant and loan programs more accessible to small businesses throughout our city, cut red tape to get the money to those in need. 

• Make to-go cocktails permanent to help our restaurants thrive after being hit so hard during the pandemic. 

• Provide commercial rent support to help business owners and landlords remain whole and not force small businesses to close or relocate due to missing or back rent.