ATLANTA — Atlanta City Council approved $300,000 in funding for Atlanta businesses that have been in the city for decades.
On Monday, the council voted to transfer money to fund the Atlanta Legacy Business Program to support businesses that have not only operated for 30 or more years, but also "contributed to the history, culture and identity of the city."
According to the legislation, the Legacy Business Program will have two phases. The first -- a pilot program to "provide technical assistance, digital finders of legacy businesses and marketing of legacy businesses."
Phase two "will offer support via the Commercial Property Improvement Grant, technical assistance, digital finders of legacy businesses and marketing services for legacy businesses citywide" for an amount up to $600,000.
The legislation added that Invest Atlanta is tasked with recognizing the businesses and operating the program.
"Hopefully, it will be beneficial to the legacy businesses. I’d like to be able to get the entire $300,000 and do something with it. But I’ll take any portion of it that I can. We’d like to use some of the money to make some improvements and better the business," said Thomas Portis, owner of Southwest Paint in Atlanta, who added he thinks the fund is a good idea.
In the council meeting, Councilmember Jason Dozier said the fund is a way to keep businesses thriving in Atlanta.
"Our city is also carried by the work of our small businesses that are working day in, day out, having weathered recessions, having weathered the Olympics, having weathered all sorts of things, and yet they are here still today ensuring Atlanta remains Atlanta," Dozier said after the legislation was approved.
Invest Atlanta told 11Alive its board still has to approve the funding to get used for the Legacy Business Program and develop the program itself.