PR 25-1030 — Great Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail Priority Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2024

_____________________________ENROLLED CouncilmemberORIGINAL KenyanA R.RESOLUTION 25-697 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA October 29, 2024 To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the Retail Incentive Act of 2004 to designate certain neighborhoods as Retail Priority Areas, including those within the Mount Vernon Triangle, Eastern Market, Barracks Row, and Georgia Avenue areas.

McDuffieRESOLVED, 4BY 6 8 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION _________________ IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIACOLUMBIA, _________________________That Tothis declareresolution themay existencebe ofcited anas emergency to the Retail“Great IncentiveStreets ActProgram ofExpansion 2004Neighborhood to designate certain neighborhoods as Retail Priority Areas,Amendment includingEmergency thoseDeclaration withinResolution theof Mount2024”. Vernon Triangle, Eastern Market, Barracks Row, and Georgia Avenue areas.

RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Great Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail Priority Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2024”.

(a) TheSince District2006 sincethe 2006District has runoperated the Great Streets retail priority grant program that(“program”), which allows small businesses within a defined area to apply for grants to support their businesses.

ThisThe program began with the Retail Incentive Act of 2004 and has been expanded on several occasions.

The grants awarded under the program support small businesses alongin these corridors,areas, create new job opportunities, and provide access to capital.

According(b) toThe Committee on Business and Economic Development approved the OfficeGreat Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail Priority Amendment Act of Deputy2024, Mayoras forapproved Planningby the Committee on Business and Economic Development,Development whichon administersOctober the23, program.2024 (Committee print of Bill 25-488)(“permanent legislation”).

(b) The Committeepermanent oflegislation theamends Whole approved the Great Streets Program Expansion Neighborhood Retail PriorityIncentive Amendment Act of 20242004 onto Octoberbroaden 28,the 2024program (“permanent legislation”) to addressdesignate gapscertain inneighborhoods within the GreatMount StreetsVernon programTriangle, inEastern variousMarket, partsBarracks ofRow, theand DistrictGeorgia ofareas, Columbia.Retail Priority Areas.

To(c) ensureThe thatpermanent theselegislation newmust eligiblecomplete participantsthe canlegislative applyprocess, forincluding the Great30-day Streetsreview grantsperiod inrequired Fiscalby Yearsection 2025,602(c)(1) of the CouncilDistrict mustof passColumbia thisHome emergencyRule legislation.Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat.

813;

D.C.

Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and will not become law, at the earliest, until the end of 2024.

(d) It is important that the provisions of the permanent legislation become law as soon as possible so that the new participants of the program can apply for Great Streets grants in Fiscal Year 2025.

The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances,circumstances making it necessary that the “GreatGreat Streets Program Expansion ENROLLED ORIGINAL Neighborhood Retail Priority Amendment Emergency DeclarationAmendment ResolutionAct of 2024 ” be adopted after a single reading.