Parlier approves $32,000 in Phase 2 downtown business assistance; council to reconcile tenant vs. landlord eligibility

The Parlier City Council voted Feb. 5 to approve business-assistance payments of $4,000 to eight downtown businesses affected by Phase 2 of the downtown façade project, a $32,000 charge to the general fund.

“Myra said staff recommends authorizing the eight businesses affected by Phase 2 to receive $4,000 each,” the council clerk reported. The list of Phase-2 recipients was attached to the staff report.

Council members and downtown business owners pressed staff about eligibility. Jasmine Ramos, a downtown landlord and business owner, said multiple cosmetologists and barbers operate under a single street address and questioned whether individual tenants who pay taxes and hold professional licenses should be eligible in addition to the property owner. “We had opened numerous business licenses under one address,” Ramos said, asking for clarity.

Staff and council said the city engineer identified the eight recipients based on city business-license records and construction impacts. Myra said the Phase-2 list reflects the businesses on record with the city engineer’s determination of who was affected. Staff proposed that owners and tenants come to city offices with documentation so staff can reconcile records; council approved the item and asked staff to return with clarifying information if needed.

The payments will be drawn from the general fund after the council majority approved the motion. Myra and other staff said they would also explore CDBG and other funding sources to seek additional support for affected businesses in future rounds.