Councilor Woods sponsors resolution in support of increased participation for Historically Underutilized Business
On Tuesday the Birmingham City Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB). The resolution helps moves the city towards the implementation of a HUB program.
Councilor Clinton Woods, who spearheaded the resolution’s passage, said this effort was to ensure that the city of Birmingham is living up to the promise of inclusion and participation for minority-owned, women owned, disadvantaged, and/or disabled veteran business enterprises.
“We want to make sure that it’s clear that the city is going to be fair when it comes to creating opportunities for these companies,” Woods said. “Locally, there are a lot of benefits for doing this. Developing an effective HUB program can improve our ability to recirculate dollars throughout our city. A strong HUB program can improve education, reduce blight, increase tax revenues and grow the population.”
With major developments on the horizon such as the Carraway Hospital redevelopment, Amazon moving into the site of the former Century Plaza, new hotels being built and so on, Woods said this resolution is a way for the city to take the lead and set an example of ensuring the playing field is consistently level for minority contractors.
“While large contractors and companies have been doing very well right now with these big projects, we want to make sure smaller, minority-owned companies are part of this growth as well,” Woods said. “By investing in these small businesses, if done effectively, the city will be better off in the long run. If people are given real economic opportunities here, it will lead to spending less money tearing down abandoned houses or cutting empty lots. I think we’re in a great position as city leaders to set this tone and keep this ball moving forward. The City has made great progress, but we must continue pushing the envelope to expand our local workforce. We have to continue expanding pathways for young people to move towards employment and create a consistent pipeline of talent.”
