Los Alamos Reporter

Los Alamos Local Business Coalition Steering Team Writes Letter To Community

BY LOS ALAMOS LOCAL BUSINESS COALITION STEERING TEAM

Dear Community,

The Los Alamos Local Business Coalition (LALBC) is comprised of 61 community members and local business owners committed to fostering a thriving business environment in Los Alamos and White Rock. Our mission is to advocate for policies, accountability, and structures that support local businesses. We appreciated the opportunity to provide feedback on the Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) initiative for East Downtown Los Alamos and we want to share the input we provided with the community at large.

The LALBC supports the MRA initiative. This initiative holds promise for revitalizing a downtown area and addressing critical community needs. However, we offer several recommendations that we think are important to drafting and approving the East Downtown MRA plan. Our feedback is based on our just completed survey of 59 participants, reviews of multiple data sources, and input from County forums, community surveys, and public comments. For detailed survey results and comments, please visit: https://bit.ly/MRA-Survey-Results 

The results of the Coalition survey align with and provide an important supplement to the results of the previous County survey by gathering input to put the MRA’s in context with the needs of the larger commercial property areas, prioritize MRA-specific objectives, and prioritize the uses of incentives.

Below are the key themes and recommendations:

1. Prioritization of Resources

Forms response chart. Question title: From the following choices, where should the County be prioritizing their time, attention, and resources?. Number of responses: 59 responses.
  • Equitable Focus: A strong majority of both local businesses (84.2%) and concerned citizens (65%) want to see equal attention given to all commercial areas (Los Alamos and White Rock).
  • Support Existing Businesses: Respondents emphasize the importance of prioritizing existing local businesses rather than devoting attention solely to MRA.
  • Concerns were raised about the MRA benefiting large developers at the expense of small businesses.
  • White Rock Needs: Some respondents stressed that White Rock is underserved and should receive equal priority.

Recommendation:

  • Distribute resources giving equal attention to all commercial areas in Los Alamos and White Rock.
  • Focus on incentives like expedited permitting, public-private partnerships, and affordable retail space to support local businesses.

2. Types of Development & Incentives

  • Support Existing Local Businesses & Affordable Retail
    Respondents emphasized the importance of retention and support for current businesses alongside efforts to create more affordable commercial leases.
  • Mixed-Use Spaces & Workforce Housing
    Survey participants strongly favored incentives for retail, dining, and entertainment (74.6%) and affordable workforce housing (64.4%). 
  • Lower Priority for Office, Hotel, and Market-Rate Housing
    Most survey participants with an opinion (over 50%) believe these sectors should not be prioritized for public incentives because they are lower priorities.

3. Incentive Tools & Public-Private Partnerships

  • Streamlined Processes
    An overwhelming majority of businesses (78.9%) called for expedited permitting and improved regulatory procedures to reduce barriers for local business owners.
  • Public-Private Partnerships & Targeted Grants
    Over 68.4% of business-owner respondents support using LEDA (Local Economic Development Act) for public-private partnerships. Storefront improvement grants and gap-financing programs also garnered 68.4% support.
  • Skepticism About Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
    Many respondents felt neutral or hesitant regarding TIF, suggesting a need for clear explanations of benefits and impacts.

4. Transparency and Communication

  • Many respondents felt the MRA process was not well-communicated, leading to confusion and mistrust.
  • Recommendation: Share a draft MRA plan with the public and provide for meaningful public engagement before scheduling it for approval. Important decisions like this need careful consideration and time for public engagement.  Introducing any recommended decision just a few days before a Council meeting, with the only opportunity for engagement being to make a one-way comment, is not sufficient public engagement.  
  • Proactively disclose proposed project details, funding mechanisms, and discussions with developers. Develop clear metrics to evaluate the success of the MRA in achieving community priorities. Regularly report findings and adjust plans as needed.

Conclusion

The MRA initiative can be part of a valid approach to address challenges and foster a vibrant future for Los Alamos and White Rock. By prioritizing transparency and equitable support for all commercial areas, this effort can help drive sustainable growth and empower local businesses as the foundation of a thriving community.

This input was also provided to Los Alamos County staff directly by submission in their “Have Your Say” input form and by letter to the County Council.  We thank the County, LACDC, and Main Street for their efforts in downtown revitalization. As the Los Alamos Local Business Coalition, we are committed to ensuring that local businesses thrive as part of this process and look forward to working together to achieve these goals.

About the Los Alamos Local Business Coalition:

The Los Alamos Local Business Coalition is a collaborative group of local business owners and stakeholders dedicated to fostering a thriving business environment in Los Alamos and White Rock. We advocate for solution-focused policies, structures, and accountability that support local businesses.  

Our membership criteria are a shared interest in our purpose and a willingness to receive communications and respond to surveys when asked.  All local businesses and individual citizens interested in improving the local business environment in Los Alamos and White Rock are invited to join the mailing list by completing the form at https://bit.ly/LALBC-sign-up – You can opt out at any time. You will receive occasional email communication from the Coalition to keep you in the loop and will be invited to express your opinions on future issues affecting the local business environment. There are no costs or fees associated with joining the group.

LALBC is a small, grassroots group that began meeting in November 2024 to discuss how we could improve the local business environment.  Members of the initial small group agreed to become part of a steering team that has met several times and is working on how to make a difference. The Steering Team includes Leslie Linke, Kevin Holsapple, Karen Wray, Carolyn Cowan, Allan Saenz, John Courtright, Shannon CdeBaca, and Anna Dillane.  There is no head person. We’re a group of people who care about Los Alamos and White Rock and want to work toward a positive future for our community.