Re: Minority Business Enterprise

[Geri Washington <ejag@teleport.com>]

EJAG, currently has a contract with the City of Portland Department of
Transportation to pull together a n?NE Portland Brownfields Showcase Community
Advisory Committee made up of community representatives.  Target groups are:
1.  Community (small) business
2.  Community Residents
3.  Community Public Health Advocates
4.  Educational Institutes & Training Programs (including School to Work
Programs)
5.  Developers
6.  Community Based Organizations
7.  Community of Faith
8.  Community Youth Groups
9.  Community Lending Firms & Insurance Brokers

We had our first meet on September 13, 1999.  Our plans is to meet once every
month.  The goal of the committee is to by October, 2000:

1.  Develop a process for identifying three (3) properties to be used as
Portland
Brownfields Showcase demonstration sites based on a balance between community
needs and business proposed redevelopment plans.

2.  Build and develop neighborhood capacity that they are able to advocate for
their own brownfields concerns.

3.  Conduct (Needs Assessment) a random survey that identifies, informs and
assesses the community needs.

4.  Facilitate a meaningful working relationship between target group
memberd and
Portland Brownfields Showcase Policy Committee that results in a working
relationship that produces/generate projects that meets the needs of the
surrounding neighborhoods.

If you would like to know more about this advisory committee or would like
to be
kept update today.  Please feel free to contact me.

Geri Washington
Environmental Justice Action Group (EJAG)
Phone: 503-283-6397

browngy (by way of cpeo@cpeo.org ) wrote:

> I am currently trying to evaluate the extent to which minority business
> enterprise is a core component of a successful brownfields project. I have
> observed a great many employment-related projects, but few that focus on
> increasing business ownership among minority persons.  Am I correct in
making
> this assumption?  If you have examples of projects involving minorities,
> please forward the necessary information.
>
> Deborah Brown,
> Director of Environmental Policy
> Boston College
> Political Science Department
> 200 McGuinn
> Chestnut Hill, MA  02467
> browngy@bc.edu