GREATER Opportunities
Small Businesses create the majority of new jobs and are the lifeblood of Cincinnati business districts. Yvette is working with the small business community to increase City support and programs for local businesses. By advocating for small business, Yvette is working toward a GREATER local economy.
Below are some of Yvette’s small business initiatives:
- Yvette developed and chairs the Small Business Advisory Committee, a Citywide commission comprised of local business leaders and advisors. This commission is working on several programs to support local small businesses, including improving access to vital resources and increasing support to those businesses poised for growth.
- Reducing red tape for small businesses saves them time and money, and increases their chance of success. Working with the Administration, Yvette proposed Jump Teams, consisting of representatives from City Departments and outside mentors, to help new businesses navigate City regulations and open their doors sooner.
- Many small businesses need a storefront, but don’t have the resources to both purchase and renovate their space. Yvette worked with the City and Port Authority on Vacant to Vibrant, an initiative to provide vacant properties to small businesses for a nominal fee. This allows small businesses to spend limited resources on renovations and necessary equipment, instead of square footage.
GREATER Living
Yvette is dedicated to strengthening our 52 unique neighborhoods. She routinely attends community meetings and organizes neighborhood walks and “office hours” to learn about neighborhood needs and identify solutions. Through building and maintaining strong community relationships, Yvette helps local leaders accomplish their goals and achieve a GREATER outcome.
Below are just a few of the neighborhood issues Yvette has addressed:
- Many children in the Avondale community were not engaged in educational activities during summer months due to a lack of opportunity and parents’ fear of letting children out of doors because of increased crime. Yvette worked with the Dan Beard Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America to arrange for a week of free summer camp for Avondale children, including meals and transportation to and from camp.
- Building collaborative working relationships with the administration, Yvette has successfully resolved problems in communities all over Cincinnati. Specifically by working with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful to clean up trash, the Department of Transportation and Engineering to repair and improve streetscapes, and Public Services to address overgrown lawns and litter. Her efforts have improved and beautified the communities of East End, Westwood, Camp Washington and many others.
- With the introduction and adoption of form based codes, Yvette was actively engaged in Madisonville’s Community Redevelopment Plan as one of the initial neighborhoods to implement form based codes. She participated in strategic visioning sessions, the neighborhood charettes and remains engaged as they work to make their vision a reality.
- The West McMicken area just north of Over-the-Rhine was experiencing a rise in prostitution-related crimes, which increased other criminal activity and negatively impacted their community. Yvette brought community leaders together with organizations working with victims of sex trafficking to address this issue. She also led City Council’s efforts to support State Legislation increasing penalties for prostitution-related crimes, and is working with the Cincinnati Police Department and other City Departments to increase prevention measures in the area.
GREATER Future
The key to a successful Cincinnati ultimately rests with our young people. Because of her own childhood experience, Yvette has firsthand knowledge of the challenges disadvantaged youth face, and has dedicated much of her adult life toward helping young people succeed. As a Councilmember, Yvette continues to strive toward a GREATER future for our youth.
Below are some of Yvette’s major youth initiatives:
- Yvette developed and chairs the Youth Commission of Cincinnati, a Citywide commission comprised of leaders of major local organizations serving youth. The commission has launched a groundbreaking study on the state of Cincinnati youth, which will be the first step in establishing strategic recommendations to help our young people succeed.
- For the fifth year, Yvette is working with the City Administration to improve the City’s Summer Youth Employment Program. Under her leadership, the training, evaluation, and accountability of these programs have been enhanced with an aim towards improving outcomes for Cincinnati youth.
- Through the Youth Commission of Cincinnati, Yvette created a Cincinnati Youth Summit, which engages local youth, it is planned and co-led by young people. By creating this opportunity, Yvette is giving Cincinnati youth the opportunity to learn, have their voices heard by community leaders, and prepare them for broader community engagement.