BID budgets / SBEP

Speaking for the BID Alliance and 15,000 small businesses, asked the council to codify and stabilize the Small Business Enhancement Program under Council Policy 900-15.

The Hillcrest Business Association director said every BID dollar leverages $19 in expanded services and asked the council to support the program and SBEP.

The City Heights CDC director said cutting SBEP won't solve the deficit but will hurt underserved neighborhoods still recovering from the pandemic and years of corridor construction.

The Gaslamp Quarter Association director supported the BID budget renewal and asked the council to restore SBEP through Council Policy 900-15, citing rising costs downtown.

The Little Italy Association leader asked the council to move forward with the FY2027 budgets and restore SBEP funding to full capacity for the district's 700 businesses.

The Diamond BID director in District 4 thanked the city for the budget renewal and asked for continued SBEP dollars for the underserved community.

The North Park Main Street director said businesses are worried about closing due to rising costs and asked the city to codify SBEP, noting 98% of San Diego businesses are small businesses.

The East Village Association representative joined colleagues in supporting reinstitution of SBEP, saying the modest funding helps BIDs stay compliant and drive local spending.

Called out what they saw as hypocrisy, saying the city offered no real support to small businesses crushed during COVID.