Community Ownership as an Anti-Displacement Strategy

Transit projects have transformative impacts on underserved communities. Yet, they often put at risk small businesses that are the backbone of local economies. BIPOC-led, women-owned, or emerging majority-owned — these small businesses face the possiblity of being displaced and eliminated, with ripple effects in their surrounding communities. It doesn’t have to be this way. Neighborhoods and the sense of place they provide can be conserved with the right approach. Find out about innovative examples from around the country – programs and initiatives designed to proactively protect business during construction and preserve them amidst redevelopment efforts. Learn about ways to enhance local entrepreneurial ecosystems and to put ownership into the hands of community members. Get a look at a different path – one that relies for future growth on business-owner wealth-building during the multiple phases of transit projects.

Moderator: Joel Bookman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bookman Associates, Chicago, IL
Kimberly Berggren, Director of Community Development, City of Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Park, MN
Ryan Winkle, Executive Director, Retail, Arts, Innovation & Livability Community Development Corporation (RAIL CDC), Mesa, AZ
Sheila Somashekhar, Director, Purple Line Corridor Coalition, National Center for Smart Growth Education and Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD