Increased growth and development has caused challenging economic pressures for local and small businesses in Durham, especially with COVID-19. This effort aims to lessen the hardships caused by higher rents and support the redevelopment of historically under-resourced areas. It will also help ensure the survival of the communities that live and work in these areas, as well as our small and locally owned businesses, especially those owned by women and people of color in targeted community development areas.

We continue to support businesses through our Neighborhood Revitalization program and serve as an advisor for the City's revitalization initiative in the Fayetteville Street corridor. OEWD met with several commercial property owners along the Fayetteville/Hayti commercial corridor to assess work required to assist these property owners to rehabilitate or repurpose these commercial buildings.

OEWD launched its Legacy Business Registry and Program at Morehead Manor in Durham NC. The Legacy Business Registry and Program was created to support the preservation of minority and women-owned businesses that have been in operation for 15 years or more in Durham

OEWD has also applied for an EPA Community-Wide Brownfield Assessment grant in the amount of $500,000 to continue our brownfields efforts and provide assistance to underserved and disadvantaged communities.