City Council approves business grant program

The El Cajon City Council this week unanimously approved a $500,000 grant program to help businesses improve the appearance of their storefronts by replacing broken windows and purchasing new signage.

Businesses can apply for up to $20,000 in grants to replace outdated or deteriorating signs and up to $15,000 to repaint commercial buildings in colors that the city’s graffiti abatement contractor can match. The City Council amended the proposal presented by staff to include replacement of broken windows.

Up to 30 businesses will be able to receive the grants through the new program, which unanimously passed in a 4-0 vote Tuesday, with Councilmember Gary Kendrick absent.

El Cajon previously had a different small business grant program from May 2021 and April 2022 to help cover the cost of capital improvements or to hire new employees. City Manager Graham Mitchell said that initiative provided funding to 247 business, allowing them to hire 333 new staff members.

While it allowed for interior improvements, it did not provide funding for renovations of commercial facades.

“As we drive around the city, we see there’s a need for the exterior of businesses,” Mitchell said.

“There’s a lot of signs that have been outdated, a lot of facades where the paint doesn’t match where graffiti abatement has occurred, so we think there’s an opportunity to help our local businesses by investing in them through this program.”

Funding for the program comes from money that El Cajon received from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Out of a total of $34 million, $4 million was allocated to economic development activity, $3 million of which has already been spent.

All of the city’s ARPA funds are required to be spent by the end of the fiscal year in September.