Worcester Business Journal

22 Worcester Business Journal | September 16, 2024 | wbjournal.com I N B U S I N E S S WOMEN B U S I N E S S O U T S T A N D I N G WBJ n W O M E N B U S I N E S S O U T S T A N D I N G WBJ IN WOMEN I N B U S I N E S S O U T S T A N D I N G WBJ Worcester Business Journal PLEASE JOIN US! For a special awards celebration as we recognize the achievements of Worcester Business Journal's 2024 OWIB honorees. OCTOBER 22, 2024 College of the Holy Cross, Worcester 11:30AM - 2:30PM Cost: $65. Pre-registration required. Corporate Sponsor Supporting Sponsors MARSH MCLENNAN AGENCY PARAGUS STRATEGIC I.T. Presenting Sponsors www.wbjournal.com/womeninbusiness Stay tuned - 2024 Honorees will be announced in the September 30th edition! F O C U S D I V E R S I T Y & I N C LU S I O N Common Ground, have added hun- dreds of housing units in the city since their founding in the 1980s. While they have become known for their association with affordable hous- ing, CDC services go beyond that. "ey can definitely add huge value to that neighbor- hood, in terms of having that hub for residents to go," said Peter Dunn, chief de- velopment officer for Worcester. "Sometimes it's related to housing, but sometimes it's connections to organizations providing various resources relating to issues like food insecurity." Giovanni Ayala, asset manager for Worcester Common Ground, grew up in Worcester in a CDC-owned property. He sees how WCG's work goes beyond housing, from basic things like handing tech issues for residents to assisting with finding a bite to eat. "We have tenants that come in here for the smallest things," Ayala said. Main South CDC took a step toward issues beyond housing in 2022, when it announced its six-unit commercial condo project. e goal of the project, expected to be completed in 2025, is to turn a former dilapidated property into a place where small businesses can be put on a path toward owning their own locations. e project has the potential to create generational wealth for Main South's residents of color, Teasdale said. "People will have something to show for it at the end of the day, and they will become vested stakeholders in the economic revitalization of this neigh- borhood," he said. CDCs in the EDCC? Like Teasdale, EDCC leadership is quick to note the importance of CDCs, but aren't rushing to support Haxhiaj's idea of permanent CDC involvement. EDCC members are open to hearing from neighborhood leadership when appropriate, Murray said. "It's kind of on a case-by-case basis," he said. "We've written letters of sup- port for some of our CDCs since I've been [with the EDCC]. I'm sure people would be willing if there was a project of that size and scale that needed help." Weaver said he's open to conversa- tions about CDC involvement in the EDCC. "e real purpose of EDCC is 100% really focused on building the commercial base and bird-dogging those commercial projects," Weaver said. "I just don't know if the EDCC is the right forum for [CDC participa- tion], but hopefully we can find other ways to engage." CDC voices are more relevant to housing-focused efforts, Dunn said. "[EDCC members] have a pretty consistent mission around commercial development," Dunn said. Listening to neighborhood voices Beyond the EDCC, Teasdale hopes the City will continue to support CDCs. "We make money from how our development works," he said. "at money, those profits, don't go out into private pockets. at money is recycled into the agency and into community programming." More could be done to ensure CDC representatives are in rooms where important decisions about Worcester's future are being made, said Ayala. He's noticed more City excitement over new luxury apart- ments compared to CDC-led hous- ing efforts. "We're in the trenches," he said. "As a general idea, it's silly to have someone that is involved in day to day at the deepest level and not get their feedback. Worcester Common Ground doesn't have issues with the City. We just want everyone to get to eat at the table." Neighborhood voices aren't included as much in conversations around devel- opment as they were 15 years ago, said Kevin Ksen, a community organizer, former WGC employee, and Worcester Community-Labor Coalition member. "We once talked about Worcester as a city of neighborhoods. We don't do that anymore," he said. Calling for transparency Haxhiaj and Ksen said EDCC needs to be more open with the public, since its meetings are behind closed doors. "It's not like their members invite city councilors to their meetings or minutes are shared," Haxhiaj said. "I don't know how much influence they have on poli- cy. It's frustrating for me." For Ksen, EDCC complaints about WPI's lack of disclosure over its hotel plans rings hypocritical. "At a time when everyone is upset about WPI and transparency, the EDCC is the starting point for lack of transparency," he said. "I work for a union, and I'm a community organizer, so I firmly believe in being coordinated and working together ... but I don't believe in doing it secretly." Jon Weaver, CEO of Mass. Biomedical Initiatives Giovanni Ayala, asset manager for Worcester Common Ground Continued from previous page W

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