About the City Heights Business Association
The City Heights Business Association is a nonprofit organization created in 2003 to enhance the growth and improvement of City Heights as an international marketplace. Our goal is to create partnerships between businesses and property owners that promote economic revitalization and combat deterioration in the community.
COVID-19 Response
The Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we do business throughout the world. Since the onset of the pandemic, the CHBA has been working hard to keep businesses informed about new policies, available resources, and loan opportunities, as well as provide support to businesses in need through grant funding and community initiatives. Read below to learn about some of the ways we have provided support to the City Heights community during this unprecedented year.
Resources for Businesses
At the start of the pandemic we created a COVID-19 resource page with a running list of local, state, federal, and private resources available for businesses during the pandemic. Resources vary from loan and grant applications to webinars providing guidance on new laws and regulations for small businesses. This page has been updated regularly in an effort to keep up with the high volume of information and resources related to COVID-19.
City Heights Business Relief Fund
Observing the economic strain the pandemic has placed on the community, and realizing that federal money is not making it to many of the businesses who needed it most, the City Heights Business Association joined with other local economic and community development organizations to create the City Heights Business Relief Fund. Thus far over $280,000 has been raised and awarded to local businesses through grants ranging from $4,000 to $10,000. Read more about the success of the City Heights Business Relief Fund on our blog.
Community Support
The pandemic has created new opportunities for the CHBA to support local businesses in the community. One way we have been doing this is by partnering with businesses to donate meals, supplies, and gift cards to community members affected by the virus. These efforts have helped local businesses maintain revenue while providing resources to families in need. Read more about our partnership with local restaurant Super Cocina to donate meals to City Heights families negatively impacted by Covid-19 .
Clean & Safe Program
The Clean & Safe Program is a service provided by the City Heights Business Association within the City Heights Maintenance Assessment District. The program provides maintenance and security services along University Avenue from Interstate 805 to 50th Street and segments of 37th Street, Central Avenue, 43rd Street, and Fairmount Avenue.
We expanded our maintenance service team
In August, the CHBA received a grant from Price Charities through the Jobs Pilot Program to hire 8 temporary part-time maintenance workers for the Clean & Safe Program. This grant not only allowed CHBA to expand their maintenance efforts along University Avenue, but also helped to provide job opportunities to City Heights residents who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outcomes from this collaborative initiative include:
- Expanded cleaning and maintenance schedule and ability to respond more quickly to maintenance requests from residents and business owners.
- Increased maintenance capacity during a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the capacity of some city services to respond to issues.
- New staff members have expressed that their job with the Clean & Safe Program has helped them to pay bills, buy essential supplies, and provide better support to their families during this challenging time.
Maintenance Request Form Now Available Online
In March, the CHBA launched a new webpage for submitting maintenance requests online. This webpage includes helpful information about the different services available through the CHBA Clean & Safe Program, as well as a map outlining the Maintenance Assessment District. Also available online are formal authorization forms that may be needed in order for our team to complete a request on your private property.
Community Advocate Program
The Community Advocate Program is committed to developing and supporting a network of volunteer community leaders who have been trained in addressing neighborhood maintenance and security issues. The goal of the program is to increase the number of issue reports and follow up communications to government agencies to ensure that problems are being addressed, as well as increase the overall civic involvement of residents within the community.
Reports made via the Get it Done app
- Abandoned Vehicle / Violation: 17
- Curb: 21
- Damaged Guardrail:
- Dead Animal: 2
- Faded Stripping: 1
- Graffiti: 1,349
- Homeless Encampment: 30
- Illegal Discharge: 14
- Illegal Dumping: 1,610
- Lights: 8
- Missed Collection: 2
- Pothole: 43
- Sidewalk: 33
- Storm Drain: 6
- Street Flooded: 1
- Street Sweeping: 1
- Traffic Sign: 13
- Traffic Signal/Light: 17
- Tree/Weed Maintenance: 87
- Other: 22
Homeless Outreach Program sees continued success
2020 saw continued collaboration with local community associations and People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) to further efforts around homeless outreach in the City Heights community. The City Heights PATH outreach specialist is continuing to have success connecting and building relationships with homeless persons in the community, and has been able to connect these individuals and families to services, including temporary housing, medical help, and financial assistance. The program has been well-received by the homeless community in City Heights and will continue into 2021. Read PATH's most recent Report for Mid City (January-September 2020).
Meet our Staff
The City Height Business Association is led by executive director Enrique Gandarilla and Clean & Safe Ambassador Jose Cervantes.