Blog
Revitalization: bring downtown back to life
Empty storefronts, lost revenue, and a plan to bring businesses back.
Revitalization is the first of the three words Mahmoud says every day. It starts downtown, where he has run his mini market at 842 B Street for years and sees the empty storefronts up close.
Empty storefronts cost everyoneWhen a shop or office sits empty, San Rafael loses twice: the license fees a new business would pay to open, and the city's share of the sales tax that business would collect. The vacancy rate is growing, and the city's finances feel it.
Bring businesses backFrom day one, Mahmoud will work with business leaders in the community to bring businesses back to San Rafael and turn around the decay that is hurting city finances.
A stronger income baseMore open doors mean more licenses, more sales tax, and a solid income base for the city. That income pays for the services every neighbor relies on.