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Small businesses in the City of San Fernando looking to revitalize their store’s aesthetics to deter graffiti and encourage potential customers to come and shop should look out for an initiative that offers them grants of up to $10,000.
The Small Business Assistance Program, which began around two months ago, enables them to sign up for grants they can invest towards measures like graffiti-resistant coatings for windows and exterior vertical landscapes. The grant funds, which do not require repayment, play a role in enhancing storefronts and safeguarding against future graffiti incidents.
Three local businesses – Chula Chic Leather and Accessories, Midnight Hour Records and AAA Transmissions – have already benefited from the program. AAA Transmissions, for instance, applied to the program to address landscaping.
By utilizing a mix of durable plant installations, weather-treated wood and graffiti-resistant films on windows, these businesses have established protective barriers against graffiti, particularly etching – the process of making a design on a metal plate or glass using acid.
Etching is a prevalent issue in the city known for its difficulty in removal. Jorge Quezada – business development director of Northeast Graffiti Busters (NEGB), a nonprofit organization whose services include graffiti removal and anti-graffiti coating – said the Midnight Hour Records, in particular, has had to deal with etching on its windows. Not only is it difficult to remove, but it can also be expensive.
“Through this program, we’re to be able to remove all of that and put some graffiti film on it, so that next time if [someone] does etch it, you just peel off the graffiti film and you won’t have to deal with that,” Quezada said.
NEGB offers other services, including bulky item pickup, weed abatement, tree-trimming and sidewalk repair very soon. The organization’s objective is to combat visual blight and bolster economic progress in the region.
The application period ended in May, but future grant opportunities are anticipated in October. The initiative is open to a wide range of businesses, including restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, gyms, fitness studios, salons, and retail stores.
To be eligible, businesses must be located in a commercial or mixed-use property in the City of San Fernando; have operated for at least three years, or have a minimum of a two-year lease or mortgage on the property; have an active business license in the city; employ 50 or fewer people; and have not received a grant from the city.
“I think it makes businesses feel a little bit more secure in the neighborhood,” Quezada said. “If the city doesn’t have enough money, and if the businesses don’t have enough money to make these changes, it’s tough. … But I think this helps bridge that relationship between businesses and the municipality.”
For more information, go to https://ci.san-fernando.ca.us/economic-development/#small-business-assistance-program.