The City of Shafter has officially launched its newest initiative, titled the Downtown Facade Grant Program. This initiative is intended to revitalize Shafter’s downtown area and is now open to applicants interested in improving their commercial properties. If all eligibility requirements are met, applicants are eligible for reimbursement of up to 50% of expenses, not to exceed $10,000.
Eligibility requirements include the following: the property must be commercial and located within the area of Shafter Avenue, Central Valley Highway, and Lerdo Highway.
David Franz, Community Services Director for the City of Shafter, notes that eligible expenses include only cosmetic renovations that are not otherwise necessary repairs.
“The public-facing parts of the building are eligible. So, something like painting, new windows, new signage, new doors, adding light fixtures or awnings — things like that. So far, we’ve had applications for a little bit of everything: doors, signage, paint. Regular maintenance items, like replacing the roof when it’s not really an aesthetic improvement, are not going to qualify, but those other things do,” said Franz.
Although the program does not have an income requirement, store owners who are struggling with the upkeep or remodeling of their storefronts can still benefit from it.
“It’s not targeted toward individuals in terms of who benefits, but I think low-income communities sometimes struggle to attract capital and investment. This is an effort to kind of even the playing field a little bit to make sure that Shafter is an attractive place to invest,” said Franz.
The City of Shafter wants to ensure that small businesses in the community receive the appropriate support in order to grow.
“In much of our downtown, the businesses are small, family-owned businesses. That is a real commitment to the community, and they’re putting their money on the line. They’re putting their time and their lives into those businesses, so we want to support them and help them grow,” said Franz. “If you’re from Shafter, you want to be proud of your community. You want to have a downtown that reflects that — to look like something you would want to show your family and friends when they are visiting,” he continued.
In an effort to expand outreach, the City of Shafter has gone door to door distributing flyers to businesses in the downtown area, according to Franz.
However, despite these outreach efforts, community member Lilian Leon indicated that she was unaware of the initiatives being implemented.
“I didn’t know about what the city was implementing, but I think it’s nice that they’re focusing on fixing up our downtown and providing resources,” said Leon. “I think that it can be very beneficial for the City of Shafter, fixing up our city in whatever way that looks.”
The application is two pages long and requires specific information. Applicants must obtain estimates for the renovations they plan to complete and take before-and-after photos of the property.
Once the application is approved, applicants may begin renovations and submit their receipts to the Shafter Building Department in order to receive reimbursement.
The City of Shafter is still accepting applications for the program. The application can be found on the city’s website, or interested applicants may visit Shafter’s Building Department for assistance with completing the application in person.
