A RESOLUTION OF RECOGNITION FOR THE DIVISION STREET BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
WHEREAS, The Division Street Business Development Association (DSBDA) was founded nearly 30 years ago by a group of local business owners who envisioned an organization that could serve as a center of support and growth for locally owned businesses. DSBDA's mission is the economic, social development and growth of "Paseo Boricua", the heart of the Puerto Rican community in Chicago along Division Street west of Western Avenue; and
WHEREAS, DSDBA will celebrate its 30lh Anniversary celebrated at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture, 3015 W. Division Street, on July 25, 2014; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of DSBDA's achievement and justified celebration by the Honorable Roberto Maldonado, Alderman of the 26th Ward; and
WHEREAS, the Humboldt Park community was once seen as a neighborhood with sparse resources and inadequate services, in spite of the vibrant culture of the community's residents; and
WHEREAS, DSDBA was organized to promote investment in new businesses and to maintain the viability of established businesses in the community; and
WHEREAS, In the late 1980s, facing rising gentrification of Humboldt Park, DSBDA sought to attract investments that would provide affordable options for the community residents to stay, buy homes, and maintain generations of business and cultural ventures; and
WHEREAS, Since 1995, strengthened with determination from the installation of two giant sculpted Puerto Rican flags that mark the gateway to the Paseo Boricua neighborhood, the DSBDA has worked to preserve the neighborhoods' rich heritage and has actively sought to raise the visibility of the local community and business market, establishing a "brand presence" for the Paseo Boricua cultural enclave; and
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WHEREAS, DSBDA has taken several concrete steps to modernize the local infrastructure in order to attract new ventures and improve the established businesses, including the creation of the Paseo Boricua Business Center launched in 2005; recent efforts to help the Paseo go "green" by installing solar panels to businesses; and ongoing outreach efforts as a delegate agency for the city of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, DSBDA helps individuals navigate and apply for programs such as the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) and business loan programs, and offers Fast Trac to Business Planning classes for new entrepreneurs and existing businesses; and
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WHEREAS, The Motto of DSBDA is "Development without Displacement", focusing on bringing new businesses and jobs that help to add to the evolving continuity of Paseo Boricua while introducing businesses that have been in the community for decades to a new generation. Today the community boasts 10 Puerto Rican-owned restaurants and a new Institute for Puerto Rican Arts & Culture with many more businesses and cultural experiences to follow. The hard work of DSBDA is about business but it is also a labor of love; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of Chicago, assembled this thirtieth day of July, 2014 do hereby acknowledge the contributions of the Division Street Business Development Association and honor DSBDA's 30 year commitment to the Paseo Boricua community.
Roberto Maldonado Alderman, 26th Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of the resolution be prepared and presented to the Division Street Business Development Association.