Statement by Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh on Common Council approval of $444,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) “One Stop”:
“The DBE “One Stop” is another step toward Syracuse’s vision of being a growing city that embraces diversity and creates opportunity for all. The $444,000 in ARPA funding approved by the Common Council will establish a revolving loan fund to help minority-owned firms in the construction sector respond to the continuing challenges of the pandemic. The new DBE One Stop will be a resource to help minority businesses participate in the growth occurring in the construction sector and the unprecedented activity expected in the years ahead.
The One Stop initiative, funded in partnership with Onondaga County, will recruit, train, mentor and provide capital to help existing companies thrive, establish new businesses, and create jobs. It is a program recommended by community stakeholders in the Interstate 81 Jobs “Big Table” initiative and will complement the workforce development and job training efforts of our Syracuse Build program. I thank the Council for supporting this important investment in the people of Syracuse.”
