McDuffie Introduces Bill to Support Small Businesses Suffering Financial Distress from District Infrastructure Projects
The bill would provide immediate relief for qualifying small businesses including those impacted by the DC Water Northeast Boundary Tunnel construction at 4th Street NE and Rhode Island Avenue NE; as well as businesses impacted by Monroe Street NE bridge reconstruction
Washington, DC – Today, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, Chair Pro Tempore and Chair of the Committee on Business and Economic Development, introduced The Small and Certified Business Enterprise Development and Assistance Emergency Amendment Act of 2019. These pieces of legislation would provide emergency financial assistance to eligible small businesses within 500 feet of construction on District-owned or financed infrastructure. Small business owners would have to be able to demonstrate loss of revenue that leads to a difficulty in paying obligations, including utility costs, rent, and other overhead.
With introduction of this legislation, Councilmember McDuffie said:
“Our small and local businesses are the drivers of our economy. They tend to hire locally and spend locally, keeping their dollars circulating in our community. With this infrastructure project negatively impacting Ward 5 small businesses, I knew I had to act.
This bill will provide relief for qualified small businesses and their employees by mitigating the financial hardship experienced because foot traffic and the number of customers are significantly impacted by capital infrastructure projects.”
