Standing Up for West Valley Small Business
I know what it means to make payroll, navigate city bureaucracy, serve customers, and have people rely on you for their jobs. That's valuable experience and perspective that no one on the Los Angeles City Council has.
I built a business here in the Valley and created hundreds of jobs. So when I say City Hall makes it too hard to open a door here, I know that firsthand. It took me a full year just to get a permit for a sign on Ventura Boulevard. Small business is the backbone of our economy, and when it costs this much to do business here, everything costs more for everyone.
Priorities in the Plan
The Path Forward
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A Small Business Concierge Desk
Our Council office will have one desk whose job is to tell owners who to call and in what order, and to break the logjam when a department stops returning calls. Concept to open doors, with a real person on your side.
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Online Permits and a Shot Clock
Simple, non-structural work shouldn't require an inspector in the room. Issue those permits online when the owner certifies they followed the rules, with spot-checks to keep everyone honest.
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Tell People About the Help That Already Exists
The City's BusinessSource and WorkSource Centers offer grants, low-interest loans, coaching, and hiring help. Almost nobody knows they exist.
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An Incubator and Microgrants to Launch New Businesses
I'll build the West Valley Small Business Incubator to connect new entrepreneurs with mentors, investors, space, and financing, with a real focus on young people and underserved neighborhoods.
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Enforce the Rules So Honest Businesses Can Compete
It isn't fair that legitimate owners pay for permits, insurance, and inspections while illegal operators skip all of it and undercut them. I will crack down on illegal operators and build legal pathways so street vendors can do it right.
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Recruit Businesses In, and Keep the Ones We Have
When a local ice cream shop looked at a Burbank storefront, a city rep was there to greet them. LA sends no one. I'll put a West Valley business development and retention team to work doing both.
