The Interventions
As commercial displacement affects the Metro Atlanta region, this toolkit outlines potential interventions communities, small businesses, and developers can undertake to address and mitigate commercial displacement that accompanies gentrifying communities. There are concerns and benefits to all stakeholders in minimizing commercial displacement and supporting small business expansion.
For local governments and agencies, a central issue is maintaining a sense of place, supporting local business owners and residents who are employed at these establishments, and facilitating goods and services offerings to local populations.
For developers driven by market forces, they may be interested in minimizing small business displacement when the small business retention adds to the marketability of the project including contributing positively to the character of the development all while ensuring they are able to meet expectations for returns on investment.
For the local businesses impacted by displacement forces, their concerns often revolve around affordability of remaining in their current locations, availability of resources to increase their profitability and operations, and education on development processes and business operations.
With early identification of key sites, areas, and corridors at risk for commercial displacement, communities* can incorporate the policies and programs to address displacement concerns. It is recommended to complete the following steps - mapping, surveys & interviews, and inventory – as the first phase in addressing commercial displacement.
*The term communities is used to describe the public sector such as governments or quasi-public organizations.
Intervention Policies & Programs
An overview of the policies and programs that can be found in this toolkit.
Property-Based Policies & Programs
Designed to offer viable and affordable space for local small businesses in the face of reinvestment and redevelopment.
Interventions include:
Preserving space through regulatory action (zoning)
Acquisition of land at below market rents and sales prices with restrictions
Improvement of existing properties.
Financial Policies & Programs
Offer investment, loans, tax relief, and other cost-offsetting opportunities to support local small businesses as they seek to maintain their competitiveness against larger businesses or increased real estate costs.
For developers, financial interventions may address additional costs required to accommodate the smaller businesses by offering lower rents or tenant improvement allowances, decreasing returns on investment for and to developers.
Business-Operations-Based Policies & Programs
Designed to address day-to-day operational challenges that small businesses may encounter. Operational challenges often result in increased costs or reduction in market/profits.
Policies and programs include:
Ensuring operable locations during redevelopment
Sharing of expertise in regular business operations
Assistance with hiring and employee retention
Increasing local market share.
In general, they support a stronger, more resilient small business owner which ideally translates to a more profitable enterprise that can manage displacement.
Community Resources Policies & Programs
Developed and managed by the local government and other related organizations to address staffing needs, related community pressures, and support groups for small businesses.
